


A Wrinkle in Time

by Demonized



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Rurouni Kenshin, 幽☆遊☆白書 | YuYu Hakusho: Ghost Files
Genre: Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Multi, Wordcount: Over 20.000
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-02
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2017-12-16 20:18:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 25,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/866199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demonized/pseuds/Demonized
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Koenma receives a very strange request from a girl of supposed legend. It turns out that she's Yuusuke's cousin, and she is definitely more than what she seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Stuff Made of Legends

**Author's Note:**

> There aren't many Rurouni Kenshin and Inu-Yasha crossover stories, and I love pairing sweet-natured Kagome with Battousai!Kenshin. Toss in some Yuu Yuu Hakusho and we have ourselves a fine mix. I know I should be working on Trial by Error, and I am, but this just wouldn't leave me alone.

_Reikai – 1996_

Koenma gave the rather plain looking girl standing in front of his desk a narrow-eyed stare, his pacifier hiding his scowl from sight as he tried to connect this girl to the legends he had often heard of. His own father had described a Kitsune woman of ethereal beauty, with long blue-black hair, stunning and expressive ocean blue eyes, and exotic indigo stripes on her cheeks and wrists. There was also something about a crescent moon on her forehead, but that was something he currently could not recall. This girl was nothing like the one his father had described, but her name was the very same. Things did not add up, at all, and he was about to dismiss the smiling girl when one of his most problematic Reikai Detective teams entered his office. The door swung open with such a force, a testament to Urameshi Yuusuke's foul mood that the doorknob buried into the wall. Koenma directed his scowl at the surly mazoku and outright glared.

"I have fucking had it with the lame ass missions you've been sending us on, twerp!" Yuusuke shouted as he approached the desk, completely oblivious to the girl standing there. He slammed his palms against the top of the desk and leaned down to glare at Koenma, unaware that the rest of his team had practically frozen just inside the doorway. They hadn't known that Koenma was entertaining someone, not that something like that mattered to Yuusuke.

Koenma's gaze slid to the girl and he was shocked to see that she was **amused** , a hand raised to cover her mouth as her plain blue eyes twinkled. He didn't find the situation amusing, at all, and usually he would be quite annoyed with the brash mazoku, but the girl's reaction had thrown him for a proverbial loop. "Please pardon Yuusuke's **interruption** and his **uncouthness**. He should have already been aware that I was otherwise _engaged_."

The girl giggled and lowered her hand to reveal a radiant smile, her features no longer seeming plain. "There is no need to apologize, Koenma-sama. I find his **uncouthness** quite refreshing and very much like that of a _dear friend_ of mine." Even her tone was amused, and Yuusuke colored slightly at the unknown girl's words. She continued to smile, while the mazoku scowled and turned to get a good look at her.

There was a flash of recognition and all of the color drained from Yuusuke's face as he spluttered out, "K-K-Kagome?!"

Koenma leaned forward and watched as the girl silently nodded, the smile never leaving her face. The situation was developing into something quite _interesting_ , especially since Yuusuke, who was now gaping like a fish, knew the person standing before his desk.

"It's good to see you too, _cousin_. If you don't mind, I would like to finish talking with Koenma-sama." Her tone was soft, full of innocence and sincere, her eyes large and pleading.

There was no way he could deny her request, and before he could even think to question why she was there, in Reikai, to talk with his boss, he gave a nod and turned around to leave. As he left Koenma's office he didn't even notice the soft nudge in his mind to forget that he had seen her. "C'mon guys, we'll bother the twerp another time."

Kuwabara obediently followed, and he too oddly forgot that he had seen a girl who claimed to be Urameshi's cousin, leaving only Kurama and Hiei behind. They were largely unaffected by whatever had worked on Yuusuke and Kuwabara, and they (more so Kurama than Hiei) glanced from the two detectives walking down the hall to the smiling girl (whom Hiei's gaze had never left) and Koenma.

"I trust you two would be more able to keep my secrets, especially from Yuusuke," she stated and her smile lessened as a pained look entered her eyes. Whatever she had been going to say to Koenma, it wasn't for Yuusuke to hear. Kuwabara, for his propensity to blurt out things better left unknown, was also someone who did not need to hear this girl's request. _Kagome_ turned back to Koenma and bowed low, a sign of respect, as she uttered a soft, "Gomen nasai, Koenma-sama."

The toddler-like Prince of Reikai was rather confused at her sudden, and unnecessary, apology. He opened his mouth to negate the apology when _Kagome_ straightened out of her bow and held up a hand as a sign for him to wait. Wait indeed, for her appearance started to change, and once the change was complete he understood why she had apologized.

No longer was she the **plain** and **human** girl that had first entered his office. **That** had been a _glamour_ to conceal her true appearance, the one his father had described to him. She was indeed a Kitsune of ethereal beauty, and with a firsthand view of his own he could see what had been left out of his father's explanation. She had **holy** powers, something entirely unheard of in a Pureblooded Youkai, and the crescent moon on her forehead had a little pink sphere connecting the points of the moon. "I am Higurashi Kagome, Koenma-sama, but the appearance you saw me enter in is also that of Higurashi Kagome. That was what I looked like four hundred and ninety-seven years ago."

Four hundred... **Four hundred and ninety-seven years ago?!** Koenma didn't have to look at the two remaining detectives to know that they were just as shocked as he was, though Hiei was an expert at hiding his expressions. It didn't make sense, especially since she was supposed to be Yuusuke's cousin. His human cousin. She wasn't lying though, and for some reason Koenma trusted her statements.

"I would love to explain everything to you, Koenma-sama, but I fear it would alter everything that has happened. In two days' time **my** _past_ self, the human Higurashi Kagome, will be pulled down the Bone-Eater's Well and into Sengoku Jidai. When she returns two days later I will need for Youko-sama and Hiei-sama to accompany her back to Sengoku Jidai," Kagome said in a soft tone, her gaze lowered and fixated on a spot somewhere on Koenma's desk. "Outside of them accompanying her to Sengoku Jidai, I need you to promise me that _Reikai_ will not interfere with anything that may happen near the Higurashi Shrine over the next year."

Koenma let his gaze go from the legendary Miko-Kitsune to his two detectives, a silent question in his gaze. The decision to send them wasn't something he could make on his own, especially since they were present for the request. "I will do my best to make sure that Reikai does not interfere, but it is not up to me to send-"

"We'll do it," Hiei interrupted as his cardinal red gaze flicked to the male Kitsune. They had both been intrigued by the female, even before she had revealed her interesting mix of species and power. That she was Yuusuke's cousin had been the first point of interest. Now, with the chance to accompany her **past** self to an era before the realms had been split, on her own request, there was no way that he or the Fox were going to say no. There was more to what she was asking, as her request was an extremely complicated one that required a lot of them.

Kagome smiled her relief and let out the breath she was apparently holding. She turned to face Hiei and Kurama, her eyes brimming with utter happiness as she bowed deeply to them in gratitude. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Hiei-sama, Youko-sama." She turned back to Koenma, missing the stunned look on their faces, while the toddler-like Prince just blinked and stared at her. "I am needed at home now. Again, thank you for your help, Koenma-sama." She bowed once more, this one just as deep, and left the Detectives and their boss in shocked silence.

A glance into the hallway she was walking down permitted them a glance of her seeming to glide down the hall. Everyone, save for Hiei, blinked as three Kitsune Youkai in their smaller beast forms appeared out of nowhere. The largest of the foxes was silver, and had it not been for the fact that he had nine tails, each of them would have mistaken him for Youko Kurama. The other two foxes were of a similar size, and also male, the lighter red one bearing five tails whilst the darker red one had only a single tail. The foxes all pressed in close to the Miko-Kitsune, who adopted her own beast form that was as black as a moonless night and four-tailed, the silver and dark red foxes leading while the light red one walked slightly behind the female.

When they disappeared around the corner Koenma turned to find that Hiei had vanished and Kurama was frowning. "I trust you and Hiei will be prepared to go to Sengoku Jidai in four days." He watched as Kurama absentmindedly nodded then left before sighing to himself. Pulling out some stationary, he started writing out orders that would be sent out across Reikai. He also needed to come up with a plan to keep Yuusuke and Kuwabara preoccupied. After several minutes of careful wording, he read the missive once and then again to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. "Ogre!" Koenma all but bellowed, and his faithful blue assistant nervously appeared in the doorway. "I need this copied and delivered to everyone in Reikai and everyone stationed in Tokyo. After you're done, send Botan to fetch Yuusuke and Kuwabara."

Jorge quickly came to the desk and picked up the missive that Koenma needed copied. He glanced at the length of it and internally started to panic. It was a long missive, and very detailed! Copying by hand, that many times would take a very long time! It'd take weeks, if not months to do it by himself! "Sir?"

"Ogre." Koenma stared at Jorge, his expression flat, before he pointed to a photocopier tucked away in the corner of his office. "I need to go see my father, so you better have this done by the end of the day." He got up from his desk as the blue ogre nodded dumbly and slowly walked over to the machine he had never realized was there before. With one last glance at Jorge, who was now fumbling with the settings on the photocopier, Koenma gave a small shake of his head before walking out of the office.


	2. Curiosity is Unbecoming

_The Next Day..._

He had been curious, ever since that strangely humorous encounter with the enigmatic _Miko-Kitsune_ of legend last night. There was an old legend he recalled, but the details were quite fuzzy and any records that were supposedly kept in Reikai were gone. Koenma had been infuriated. Hiei seemed to not care. He, however, found it oddly coincidental that the information that could possibly help them to prepare was nowhere to be found. The timing of their disappearance also coincided with _Kagome's_ request.

He wanted to believe that it was just misplaced documentation, but deep down he knew the documents had been removed from _Reikai's_ archives. They had been removed for this reason, perhaps. If he and Hiei were to go back with too much knowledge, then it would drastically alter whatever had already occurred historically. So in the end, Kurama supposed he was alright with the current lack of knowledge.

_"About time you figured it out, Fox."_ Hiei's telepathic voice cut in, though he wasn't at all surprised. Kurama glanced over to where he could sense the Apparition, hiding amongst the foliage of a tree close to the Higurashi Shrine. _"You should come up here and see this."_

The Silver _Kitsune_ frowned and glanced to the steps leading up to the Shrine. He had merely been passing by, in hopes to catch a glimpse of the _Miko_ they were supposed to be helping in three days. He could smell her, and was sure she had been through hours ago. Was she still in school? The _Kagome_ that had made the request hadn't mentioned anything about a school, nor had she been dressed to attend one.

_"The past Kagome is fifteen, fox."_ Of course. Hiei would have found that out. _"You really should come up here. Now."_ There was a slight change in Hiei's tone of voice, and he would have pegged it as Hiei sounding slightly annoyed.

Kurama turned to go up the steps and smiled when he saw that though there were a good number of steps to ascend, it was nothing like going to Genkai's. Thank Kami for small miracles. He ascended the steps, and by the time he reached the top it felt like he was strangely out of breath, as if he had climbed up and down Genkai's steps **twice**. He had to take a glance down the staircase, and it still looked the same as before.

"It's because I have a barrier in place over the Shrine," a soft and very familiar voice spoke from behind him. When did _she_ get here?

Kurama turned back around, his attention no longer on the seemingly innocent steps, to the most hilarious sight ever. The _Miko-Kitsune Kagome_ was standing in front of him, but what caught his attention first and foremost was a very _annoyed_ Hiei trapped in a transparent pink sphere that was carefully balanced on her index finger. Oh boy.

_"I really don't see what's so funny, Fox,"_ Hiei griped, sounding every bit as annoyed as he looked.

Kurama covered his mouth in an attempt to keep himself from laughing, but a chuckle did slip out. He averted his gaze to _Kagome_ , a sweet smile on the female's face that worried him. He smothered his laughter and cleared his throat, feeling very much like a child that had gotten caught with their hand in the cookie jar. " _Konnichi wa_ , Higurashi-sama." He bowed, very formally, and was quite surprised when _Kagome_ laughed.

With a flick of her finger Hiei was set down on the ground and released from the pink sphere of embarrassment. The Forbidden Child quickly darted away to a tree nearby, to save himself from further ridicule, leaving Kurama to fend for himself against this female full of surprises. " _Konnichi wa_ , Youko-sama." Her smile no longer made him nervous, and he found himself following after her as she turned and walked over to the tree Hiei had previously been in.

Kurama's eyes widened in shock, then his expression quickly became one of amazement and awe, and he now understood why Hiei had ended up in the _Miko-Kitsune's_ strange sphere. " _Goshinboku..._ " His pace slowed as he neared one of the legendary Tree of Ages, and he had a sudden thought. "The _well_ is made from the wood of this tree."

" _Hai~_. Even back then the well was **old**." _Kagome_ reached a hand out and touched _Goshinboku_ lovingly. As she did so the very air around them hummed and the sacred tree resonated. It was a beautiful thing, seeing such a rare experience for himself. "Hello again, old friend."

Kurama stilled completely as the sudden feeling that he was intruding upon something very **private** took over. They shouldn't have come nosing around, looking for something they weren't privy to. Alas, they had done so and thankfully _Kagome_ was here to prevent anything from going awry.

"Don't worry about today, Youko-sama," _Kagome_ murmured as she lifted her hand away from _Goshinboku_. She turned to him now and beamed at him brilliantly.

Kurama blinked, and wondered at how she knew what he was thinking. Could she have some sort of telepathic ability? And why did she keep calling him Youko? "Higurashi-sama?"

"Yes, Youko-sama?"

And so formally too. "Pardon me for asking, but why do you keep calling me Youko?"

"Ah..." She looked a little flustered for a moment, a pretty pink coloring her cheeks. " _Gomen ne_ , Minamino-sama. When I look at you, I do not see your human body. I see your **true** body instead."

Her words were very carefully chosen, but he did not doubt them at all. She was a very, very powerful _Miko_ , despite her _Youkai_ blood, and her current capabilities were unknown to them. All of what they had seen in _Reikai_ had been a mere fraction of what she could do. "I don't mind it when in private, Higurashi-sama, and there is no need to be so formal."

_Kagome_ continued smiling in that beautiful way of hers and she glanced over to where Hiei was, in a tree that wasn't a sacred Tree of Ages. "My _Nii-sama_ is very particular about certain things... I had etiquette literally beaten into me."

Well now. That certainly explained a lot, and he didn't even know who her older brother was. He was nearly afraid to ask.

"I have a gift for Hiei-sama and Youko-sama. It's a little early, but it won't hurt anything." Meaning it wouldn't change anything that was to come.

Hiei, of course, did not budge from his current tree, and it was likely he was going to stay up there until he was good and ready to come down. Kurama smiled a little apologetically and stepped closer to _Kagome_ , curious as to what her gift would be. "A gift, Higurashi-sama?"

She nodded and bade Kurama to come closer still, a small and secretive smile lighting up her face. Once he did so, she reached up with her right hand and touched the center of his forehead with her index and middle fingers. Her left hand was placed over his heart and as she drew on her power everything whited out.

_Sometime later..._

" _Baka_! You didn't tell me this would happen!"

Kurama scrunched his face up slightly as his ear twitched atop his head in response the sudden and very loud voice of a worried _Miko-Kitsune_. He opened his eyes and had to shut them immediately, as it seemed like the world had exploded in color. From that one brief glimpse, everything had been so bright and vivid that it hurt to see. **That** was strange.

"He **passed out**!"

Now he frowned. Had he really fainted from whatever _Kagome's_ gift had been? That was certainly unexpected, and likely to worry both Hiei and the kind woman. "Did Hiei attack you, Higurashi-sama?" His voice sounded a bit off, but it was also very familiar and like the voice of his true body. _That_ was puzzling. Kurama opened his eyes again, after mentally preparing himself for the onslaught of color, and he found himself staring up a wonderfully done mural of the sky on a ceiling. Where was he?

"Youko-sama! You're awake!" She popped into his line of sight, relief etched into her face now and a smile already spreading across her lips. Her lips twitched very slightly before she was fully smiling and her gaze flicked to something he couldn't see at the moment. "Hiei-sama is...preoccupied."

Kurama sat up and turned his gaze in _that_ direction, only to be met with the extremely familiar and highly hilarious sight of Hiei floating in a pink sphere. The Forbidden Child looked absolutely pissed, and at the same time relieved, to once again be caught in a pink bubble that he had no way of escaping. He was very sure that the relief was only because _he_ had woken back up. "I'll say."

"I am sorry, Hiei-sama. I didn't know it would make him **pass out** , but I couldn't have you trying to kill me over that." _Kagome_ waved her hand at the Forbidden Child and he was set down onto a highly polished wooden floor, the sphere disappearing from around him. The _Miko-Kitsune_ looked over to a fox that he hadn't noticed or sensed at all, as she spoke and **glared** at the creature as though it were at fault for him passing out.

Kurama recognized the fox to be the nine-tailed silver male that she seemed to be mated to, if his guess was correct, which had appeared with two other _Kitsune Youkai_ as she had left Koenma's office. The fox wasn't paying her any mind, his amber gaze locked onto **him** instead. Kurama blinked, both of his ears twitching now and successfully distracting him from the fox. What the...? He reached up, vaguely noting the familiar claws on his fingers, and felt the very distinct _Kitsune_ ears on top of his head.

_"Yes, Fox._ _ **She**_ _sped up the process you would have undergone to attain your Youkai body."_ Hiei, wary of _Kagome_ and her damnable pink spheres, took up to leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"I do need to give you **your** gift too, Hiei-sama," _Kagome_ uttered softly.

"Hn." Hiei did not budge a centimeter.

Kurama glanced from _Kagome_ to Hiei, the Forbidden Child outright glaring at the _Miko-Kitsune_ as though she had severely offended him. "Hiei." The Forbidden Child stiffened then gave Kurama a sullen look before he fixed an indifferent look on his face and very slowly walked over to _Kagome_.

"You shouldn't pass out from this, Hiei-sama," _Kagome_ reassured with a glance to the nine-tailed Silver _Kitsune_ watching over them. The fox nodded, as if confirming something to his mate and she beamed happily. "Please hold out your right arm."

Both Hiei and Kurama stared at _Kagome_ in shock, who returned their expressions with the same secretive smile she had given Kurama before her gift to him. When she gave him an expectant look Hiei hesitantly held out his right arm. Whatever she was going to do he didn't trust one bit, as he knew his Darkness Flame was extremely dangerous, even to himself.

"Just relax." **That** was easier said than done. Kurama knew that Hiei wouldn't be able to relax when it came to his right arm and the accursed flame it bore. Surprisingly though, the nine-tailed silver fox got up with a yip and approached _Kagome_ and the Apparition. Hiei was slightly startled when the fox nudged him, his eyes widened almost imperceptibly and then he _smiled_.

"Oh... I understand." It was the first Hiei had spoken aloud in _Kagome's_ presence since the pink sphere incidents, and whatever had silently passed between him and the fox left Kurama confused. The Forbidden Child actually relaxed, though, and the _Miko-Kitsune_ placed her hands over the bandages wrapped around Hiei's arm.

This time, when she drew on her power, Kurama got to witness something of what she had done to him, only this was different. Her power was _speaking_ to the Dragon of the Darkness Flame, if that was the appropriate way to think of it, and the bandages covering the _marking_ disintegrated from Hiei's arm. The eyes of the Dragon glowed, briefly and brightly, and a look of wonderment was left on Hiei's face.

After several long moments, a more drained, but still smiling, _Kagome_ pulled her hands away and leaned against the nine-tailed fox that had moved to stand behind her for support. "Now if you don't mind, I need to rest and re-gather my power." She yawned, her eyes drooping closed as she swayed against the fox.

"I will show you the way out," a soft voice stated firmly, causing both of them to jump and glance in the direction of the door. There stood a small and slender man with mid-back length red hair tied back into a thick ponytail. His eyes glinted a piercing amber for a split second before settling to a vibrant purple. Their eyes, however, were drawn to the sheathed sword he carried at his hip, and the traditional style of clothing from the late 1800s he wore. "Kagome-dono needs her rest now that she does."

Kurama felt as though he knew about the man, despite having never met him, and he could have sworn that he had stepped out of a history book of some sort. He brushed the feeling aside and got up off of the bed to follow the mysterious swordsman out into the hall, Hiei not very far behind him. The Apparition curiously gave the nine-tailed fox a glance as they left the bedroom.

They navigated the halls in silence, and when they reached a large set of doors did the swordsman pause and look at them, a contemplative look on his face. "You should put a glamour up, Youko-dono..." If he was going to say something else, Kurama wasn't sure, and he wasn't going to even question how the man knew him. The swordsman opened the door for them and ushered them through out into the late evening.

They paused when he made a soft 'Ah...' and turned to look at him questioningly. "Curiosity is unbecoming of you, Hiei-dono." The swordsman smiled and shut the door, his comment leaving them blinking and staring at the door.

After a moment Kurama chuckled and glanced to a rather put off looking Apparition. "He's right, you know." Curiosity really didn't suit Hiei when it landed him in floating pink spheres.

"Fox..."


	3. The Girl Who Fell Through the Well

A low, rumbling growl from behind them had them suddenly on guard, as this was a house owned by _Youkai_ , and surely whatever was growling at them was of the _Youkai_ variety. Hiei was the first to turn, his sword drawn, while Kurama followed suit, a rose in hand. They froze, however, at the sight of a massive white dog, a very familiar Prussian blue crescent moon marking the beast's forehead.

Odoriferous saliva dripped from the dog's jowls and started eating away at the ground with a hiss as soon as it landed. A poisonous mist rose from the saliva, at which both Hiei and Kurama covered their noses and mouths to keep from breathing it in. The dog growled again, but had made no move towards them at all. Was it guarding something? The house, perhaps?

"Sesshoumaru-sama is saying that you need to put your glamour up, Youko-sama." The voice came from their immediate right, but that was impossible. Nobody had come outside with them and they hadn't sensed anything, at all. Thinking of it now, they hadn't been able to sense the red-haired man that had escorted them to the front door, nor could they sense the dog. Just what was going on here?

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" The name was incredibly familiar and it struck a chord somewhere deep in Kurama. He glanced in the direction of the voice and saw yet another _Kitsune Youkai_. This one had red hair, a softer shade than the swordsman from the 1800s, and blue-green eyes. He looked like a teenager in his humanoid form, and he had a mischievous grin on his face.

"Sesshoumaru-sama of the Western Lands." Kurama blinked and looked at the dog again, only it wasn't a dog anymore, but a very tall and imposing _Daiyoukai_. Hiei had sheathed his sword by now, the Silver _Kitsune_ noted, at which he too put away his rose, and they both bowed low to the Lord.

" _Ne_ , Sesshoumaru-Oji-sama, Kagome-okaa-sama brought them here," the Red _Kitsune_ stated, a grin on his lips as the _Daiyoukai_ frowned. "It's almost time, remember?"

"Escort them off of this Sesshoumaru's property, and make sure that the Fox is sufficiently glamoured, Kit." Sesshoumaru's tone was icy, matching his demeanor perfectly. The _Daiyoukai_ glided up the stairs and went past them without so much as another glance. They didn't even hear the door open or close as Sesshoumaru entered the house.

"Come on. I'll take you two back." The Red _Kitsune_ was still grinning, which was no surprise to Kurama, and led them off of the stoop. As they walked along the cobblestone path, at a pace so they could take everything in as they passed it, the Red _Kitsune_ fell in step next to Kurama. "When you get back to the Higurashi Shrine try not to interact with anyone there until after Kagome has come back through the well."

Kurama regarded the Red _Kitsune_ momentarily then nodded in understanding. They didn't really know what they were supposed to be doing, except for going back with Kagome to _Sengoku Jidai_ so they could help her. How were they even going to convince her or her family that-

_"Don't worry about it, Fox. We will know what to do when it is time for that,"_ Hiei stated in a rather cryptic tone. The Apparition knew something he didn't, and as much as he wanted to know what that something was, Hiei wasn't going to breathe a word to him until he was good and ready. _"You'll figure it out, eventually."_

That was certainly promising. Kurama scowled slightly and almost gave in to his urge to glower at the Apparition, though he knew it would do him no good. If he was going to figure it out, eventually, then there was no point in futilely needling Hiei for information. His strange new behavior only started after whatev-

"We're almost there, Youko-sama. You should put up your glamour now." Kurama paused at that, and glanced around. Had they really walked to the edge of the property already? He looked to the Red _Kitsune_ , and then to Hiei, to which the Apparition chuckled.

Kurama settled for a soft scowl and put up a glamour with surprising ease. Hiei suddenly started laughing, as did the Red _Kitsune_. What was so damn funny? There wasn't a reflective surface around for him to check his appearance, but he had apparently done something wrong.

"Your hair!" What was wrong with his hair? Kurama tugged some of the strands in front of his face and his eyes widened. Bright, bubblegum pink. His hair was pink, and a ghastly shade of it at that. Why was his hair pink!?

"You, aha ha ha, need to, ha ha, focus on the, ha ha ha, exact shade!" The Red _Kitsune_ was doubled over as he attempted to contain his mirth, his amused blue-green gaze watching him.

Kurama glowered, his cheeks heating up in his embarrassment as he let the glamour fall. This time, he focused on the appearance he wanted, the one he had known for the past eighteen years of his life as Minamino Shuuichi. Once he was sure that he would look like his former human body again, he attempted the glamour a second time.

Hiei quickly stopped laughing, though his expression was still very amused, and Kurama was sure that the image of him with bubblegum pink hair was something the Apparition had saved in his mind. At least a picture hadn't been taken. That would have been far more embarrassing.

"If we are quite done making fun of my unfortunate mishap, we had best be on our way." Kurama, quite miffed, walked towards where the edge of the property was. Hiei followed after him while the Red _Kitsune_ was satisfied to simply watch them leave. He waited until he sensed them pass through the special barrier his _Okaa-san_ had erected around their home to turn to a tall tree near the path.

"Did you get it?" Excitement colored his voice as he approached the tree, where a short Youkai cloaked in shadows was perched on one of the limbs. A camera was tossed down, along with a camcorder, and the Red Kitsune grinned wide. "Thanks, Hiei-sama. Kagome-okaa-san will love this."

"I would like copies, if you do not mind it, Shippou." The Apparition leapt down soundlessly, his gaze staring after his much younger and weaker self, even though that Hiei and Kurama were gone by now.

There was an unsettling feeling weighing on him, and though he couldn't pinpoint it or figure it out, the feeling vanished once they had completely passed through a rather interesting barrier. He tucked the feeling away to the back of his mind, for later dissection, and observed the barrier as it shimmered slightly before disappearing completely. They had been let out, back at the shrine, but before they had passed through the barrier it had looked as if it had led into an ongoing forest. Now, looking back at the direction they had come from, it looked nothing like what they had walked through.

The _Miko-Kitsune_ was becoming even more of a mystery with each new thing they learned, and it didn't seem like many of the answers they wanted would be forthcoming any time soon. This newest mission seemed to be much like some of their _Reikai_ missions, in that they lacked a lot of vital information, and this time it was at least for a very good reason.

_"Fox, I hear voices."_

Kurama stilled his thoughts and let his newly enhanced senses focus. He quickly, and effortlessly, heard the voices of two humans. From his estimate, they had to belong to the human family of the _Miko-Kitsune's_ younger self.

"But we've already checked the well many times!"

Checked the well...?

"But I saw Nee-chan fall in!"

That...wasn't possible. She hadn't fallen in yet, had she?

_"Fox... It is very likely that we were at that place for far longer than we realized."_ Hiei's observation made sense, and it was very likely that their sense of time must have become skewed while in that place. The barrier they had passed through was largely suspect in the time difference they were experiencing. If a day had already passed...

"Ji... Jii-chan! Souta!" That was Kagome's voice. He was sure of it. If she was back in this time, then...

_"We were there for three days."_

The truth made a cold and uneasy feeling settle into his stomach. He had been away for three days. His family must have been worried sick.

_"Fox. They're coming."_

Kurama didn't move, even as a rather dazed Kagome, garbed as a _Miko_ , stepped out of the well house. An old man and a boy followed her out into the courtyard of the shrine, only to stop in confusion when Kagome did. She was looking right at them, and there was a look of shock on her face.

"I...InuYasha?" Fear clung to her question as she looked straight at Kurama, her blue eyes wide. Kagome started to take a step back, but then a look of confusion flitted across her features and she tilted her head to one side. "You have a tail too..." There was relief in her scent, but it was brief as her gaze flicked back up to where his _Kitsune_ ears were under the glamour.

"What'cha talking 'bout, Nee-chan? He doesn't have a tail." The boy, Souta, was glancing from his sister to Kurama, who was now staring at the girl with intrigue.

_"She can see through the glamour, Fox."_

Well, he had figured that much out on his own. "Pardon us for coming at such a bad time, but we need to speak to Higurashi-sama. The matter is an urgent one." His gaze remained on Kagome, who blinked then glanced at her grandfather.

"I'm sorry, but I need to see to my granddaughter. She isn't feeling well, so if you could come back tomorrow I will be-"

"She is the one we need to speak to," Hiei cut in rather abruptly, causing the old priest to mutter something about rude young people.

"Now see he-"

"Its okay, Jii-chan. Why don't we go inside? I'm sure Mama is worried sick about me, and its better if I tell everything only once." Kagome was smiling wearily, and though she hadn't said anything to correct Souta on Kurama actually having a tail, her gaze still flicked to his hidden _Youkai_ features.

She sank deeper into the hot water, a sigh escaping her lips as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the soothing qualities. "Ah... Nothing like a hot bath..." She had sorely missed the luxury of an actual bath in the last three days, but as much as she missed it her thoughts drifted to the two _Youkai_ that had come to see her. They were still downstairs with her family, no doubt talking about everything she had told them. The _Youkai_ had seemed to believe her, while Mama, however...

"Ojii-chan... Kagome's story is..." Mama Higurashi set down the tea pot, now that everyone was served, and sat down beside the glamoured _Kitsune_.

Kurama and Hiei hadn't spoken much at all since Kagome had told them of what had transpired, three days ago. They were hardly listening to her family's chatter, and instead stuck on the bit of information pertaining to how long she had been in the past. Three days. Yet the _Miko-Kitsune_ had told them two days. Had she been mistaken?

_"I'm sure it was a mistake on her part, Fox."_ Not even a demon's memory was perfect all of the time, and she had originally been a human, which said human was upstairs enjoying a bath. They still had to talk to her, and try to convince her that she needed to go back, regardless of what was in the present.

"Higurashi-kannushi-sama..." Kurama turned his attention to the spot where the old priest had been sitting, only to discover that he was no longer present. The Silver _Kitsune_ , puzzled as to how the old man had slipped away without him noticing, glanced over to Mrs. Higurashi.

"Ojii-chan went to go seal the old well up." She smiled apologetically as she refreshed Kurama's tea. "You needn't worry though. Ojii-chan is nowhere near strong enough to seal the Bone-Eater's Well up." Mrs. Higurashi said it so bluntly, he had to wonder if she actually knew anything. She left the dining room with a small smile on her face, and he could have sworn there was a knowing look in her eyes.

_"I am not able to read her mind, Fox. It is protected."_ No doubt by the much older and smarter Kagome. _"It is the same with the rest of her Ningen family members,"_ Hiei informed him, just as the stairs creaked.

Kagome descended, towel wrapped around her hair and her hands delicately rubbing the almost inky black locks dry. She came into the dining room and paused upon seeing Kurama. "Do I have to go back?" Her tone was somewhat petulant, but then again, nobody could really blame her.

"We will be accompanying you back to Sengoku Jidai, Higurashi-sama. It is quite unavoidable that you must go back, but things should go faster with our help." Both Apparition and _Kitsune_ watched her facial expression, which was so very open, carefully. She went through quite a range of emotions before resignation finally settled on her face.

"I need to talk t-"

"The well is sealed!" Grandfather Higurashi's entrance back into the dining was nowhere near as quiet as his sudden exit had been.

Kagome looked quite confused about the sudden declaration of the well being sealed, and she quickly directed her gaze to Kurama. "Sealed?"

Kurama gave a very slight shake of his head as Grandfather Higurashi started explaining how he had sealed the well. None of them seemed to be listening to the old man as Kagome once again displayed that resigned look on her face. "Go and talk with her, Higurashi-sama."

Kagome nodded and slipped out of the room, her absence going unnoticed by Grandfather Higurashi who was too engrossed in his explanation of _ofuda_. She found her mother in the kitchen preparing dinner, her favorite. "Okaa-san..."

Mama Higurashi hummed in acknowledgment and scraped the masterfully chopped vegetables into a pot of boiling soup base. The no longer needed cutting board and knife were set down by the sink and she picked up a wooden spoon to stir the vegetables.

"I..." What was she supposed to tell her mother? That she was leaving and probably wouldn't be back for a while? The words caught in her throat, refused to come out, and tears pricked at her eyes.

"I always knew you were special, Kagome. So very special, from the moment you were born." The spoon was laid down and Mama was looking at her now. There were tears in the woman's eyes, but she looked happy. "I knew this day would come, too, and I... I never wanted to believe that it would happen. Now that it has..."

Kagome listened as her mother quietly explained how she had received a strange visit from a beautiful woman on the day she, Kagome, had been born. There had been explanations and gifts, for her, given to her mother for when she started her adventures. Gifts that would come in handy. She didn't know what to make of this, except that this day had been destined to happen no matter what. With the understanding that she would be given the gifts after dinner, a dazed Kagome hugged her mother, accepting that she would be going back no matter what.


	4. The Awaited Return

Kagome returned to the dining room in a much better mood and sat down at the table across from the Kitsune Youkai that had earlier introduced himself as Kurama. She gave him a small smile when he glanced her way, a pensive and questioning expression on his face. "We can leave after dinner," she stated in a soft voice, knowing that both Youkai would hear her despite her Grandfather's rambling.

The old Priest had gone from explaining ofuda to the history of the Shrine itself and that it had been in their family for generations. That, of course, dated back to around the era they would be going to, or in Kagome's case, returning to. Both Youkai were astutely ignoring the Priest, while Souta groaned and let his head drop to the table.

"Now, Ojii-chan, it's time to eat. I'm sure the children would like to hear about the Shrine some other day." Mrs. Higurashi carried a large bowl of deliciously smelling soup out from the kitchen and set it down on the warmer on the center of the table. She seemed rather cheerful for someone who had to let her only daughter go through time to an era that was fraught with peril in order to piece back together a bauble of extraordinary power. "Souta, please take your head off of the table."

Both Hiei and Kurama were unaware as to what Kagome and her mother's conversation had exactly pertained to, aside from the young Miko having to go back. Their senses were restricted to the room they were in, and Kurama suspected that a series of barriers hindering scent and sound had been set up in each room. If that only pertained to Youkai, they couldn't be certain, but it seemed like the home's Ningen inhabitants were unaffected. That much was to be expected.

Kagome's expression had brightened considerably at the sight and smell of the food, and she leaned towards it, her demeanor entirely childlike. "Oden! Oden! Oden!" She chanted the name of the food excitedly and began preparing a bowl for herself.

Kurama, though he knew she would be mated to another someday, couldn't help but to be drawn to her, and so he filed the knowledge of her favorite dish away for future use. He could sense Hiei's amusement from his side, but didn't dare glance at the Apparition to see just what his expression would be. "This smells wonderful, Higurashi-sama. If you don't mind, I would like to get the recipe for my mother."

"Absolutely, Minamino-san. I'll write it down for you." Mrs. Higurashi smiled knowingly and helped prepare bowls for everyone else gathered at the table. She served herself last and knelt down beside her father-in-law once everyone was settled, her gaze going to Kagome, who had a piece of daikon halfway in her mouth.

Without any warning the shoji leading outside slid open to reveal a rather pissed off looking Inu Hanyou wearing hakama and haori made from the exceedingly rare Fire-rat's fur. Kurama and Hiei were quick to stand, the Apparition placing his hand on the hilt of his sword as he observed the Hanyou. He seemed rather oblivious of their presence, his gaze fixed on Kagome, who had half-turned and was looking at him in utter shock.

"Eh..? InuYasha?" Kagome mumbled around the daikon in her mouth. She absentmindedly bit down and placed the remaining half back into her bowl, her gaze never wavering from InuYasha.

"Eat your food, Higurashi-sama. You will need your strength for when we go through the well," Kurama stated softly, finally drawing the Inu Hanyou's attention away from the young priestess. He ignored the furious expression directed towards him, but he didn't let his guard down.

"Who the fuck is this, wench?" InuYasha snarled, his hands tensing and the fingers arching so he could strike with his claws should he need to.

"You are in the presence of ladies and a child, please watch your language," Kurama demanded icily, wondering if the Hanyou had noticed Hiei yet. It seemed he hadn't and there was no telling if a fight would break out because the Apparition had his hand on the hilt of his sword. He didn't even know if the Hanyou could tell that they were Youkai, his thoughts briefly going the various barriers he knew were set up in and around the home. "And please refer to Higurashi-sama in a manner respectful to her station," he added as an afterthought, having noticed the way Kagome tensed upon being called wench.

InuYasha opened his mouth to say something, likely insulting and provoking, only for Kagome to quickly and very softly utter an "Osuwari." The effect was instantaneous, the Hanyou forcefully face-planted by a set of beads around his neck that glowed briefly.

"We will be heading through the well once we are done eating, InuYasha. Kurama-san and Hiei-san will be coming with me to help hunt down the jewel shards," Kagome stated in a resolute tone, her expression annoyed, no doubt from InuYasha's behavior. She wasn't even going to question why he was here. She knew he had come to drag her back, and had she not met Kurama and Hiei to confirm that what had happened was irrefutable it would have been against her will. "You said you didn't need my help, so why are you here, InuYasha?"

The Hanyou growled as he practically peeled himself from the floor, his amber-gold eyes flashing with anger and hatred. "You're the only person who can sense the jewel shards," InuYasha bit out, settling a glare on the red-haired pretty boy. His gaze had briefly passed over the black-and-white-haired shorty, deeming him insignificant. "And I don't need more weaklings to protect," he sneered.

Hiei said nothing, as usual, but Kurama could sense the positively murderous aura coming from his friend. Kagome was equally upset and angry, which wasn't surprising. InuYasha was making it apparent that he saw Kagome as nothing more than a jewel shard sensor. Whatever their brief history, he wasn't going to tolerate ill treatment towards a person of Kagome's standing. "We are more than capable of handling ourselves, and will be teaching Higurashi-sama how to defend herself." He didn't know where the second part had come from, but it had felt appropriate to say.

"Drop your glamour, Fox."

Kurama blinked and glanced towards Hiei, but did as suggested, which caused Mama Higurashi to gasp and Souta to give an awed "Cool!" Grandfather Higurashi, who had been muttering to himself about the Ofuda that had been passed down through their family for generations, was speechless and Kurama briefly wondered what the old man was thinking. It was clear he had misconceived notions that all Youkai were evil, and that was a headache of an argument he hoped to never partake in.

"Oh, you have ears! And a tail too!" Mama Higurashi looked as if she wanted to touch his ears, as if to see how soft they were. "A Silver Kitsune," she breathed out, stunning the two Reikai Detectives. "My, you're quite handsome, Minamino-san. Isn't he handsome, Kagome?"

Kagome's cheeks were turning a delicate shade of pink, and she sputtered incoherently at the turn in conversation topic. While she certainly agreed that Kurama was indeed handsome, discussing such a matter in front of him was embarrassing. A quick shift of her gaze, to take in the Kitsune's face, showed that he might have agreed with her if the faint tinge of color to his own cheeks was anything to go by. "Mama, we should probably go."

"Eat first, Kagome. I'll have a bag packed for you and your gifts ready by the time you're done eating." Mama Higurashi smiled serenely and gracefully got up from the table. She left the room, and once she was past the doorway Kurama couldn't sense or hear her.

Hiei was the first to sit back down, shockingly enough, so Kurama followed suit, his gaze back on the angry Hanyou. Or maybe he was shocked. The Kitsune hardly cared to figure out which at this point, so long as he didn't open his mouth to spew out more vulgarity and disrespect. InuYasha would need to be tolerated to a certain extent, if the Hanyou decided to not abandon Kagome, and if he was going to stick around he would see to it that the uncouth youth learned some type of manners. It wasn't going to be an easy task, that much he was certain. The Hanyou was sure to be resistant towards such lessons.

Kagome resumed eating, her pace slow. Her grandfather was looking from Kurama to InuYasha, his mouth agape as he tried to process that there were two Youkai in his household. Her gaze went to the silent Hiei, whom she figured to be a Youkai as well. She decided to keep that to herself, in the event that it would likely cause her Grandfather to have cardiac arrest. Souta, on the other hand, was taking everything quite well.

InuYasha remained in the doorway leading outside, shifting on the spot quite impatiently. He growled faintly, his amber-gold gaze going from Kagome to the two tag-alongs. The Kitsune would be a problem, even if he could handle himself in a fight. Having him along would shift the dynamic of the group, and it was likely that he would end up calling all of the shots. While not a dog some foxes did run in packs, and this one in particular was definitely Alpha material. As for the shorty, InuYasha was no longer sure about how insignificant or how much of a threat that one posed.

After a long, tense silence Kagome finished her oden and began to stand up when her mother returned. She had two long, wrapped items resting the crook of her left arm while she carried a medium-sized backpack in the other. "Oh, Mama..." She was tearing up as she went over to her mother. Kagome knew that her mother was accepting of this, and while that was true it felt as if she wouldn't be seeing her family for a very long time. "I'm gonna miss you." She hugged her mother, despite it being awkward with the things her mother held. When she pulled away she took the proffered wrapped items, noting that the wrappings were made of silk.

"We ain't got time for this," InuYasha grumbled, his expression sour. He had left Kaede-baa-baa partially buried, so that Sakasagami no Yura wouldn't be able to harm her. The more time they wasted here decreased the chances they would return to find the old priestess alive.

"It is likely that we won't be coming back for quite some time." Kurama, all too aware of what it was like to have to part from family for lengthy times, glowered at InuYasha. His own family...he didn't know what to say to them. He had already been gone for four days, without any kind of warning or a by-your-leave from his mother. Not that he really needed permission of any sort, but it was the courteous thing to do.

InuYasha blinked, his anger and irritation momentarily gone as he processed that statement. His gaze went to Kagome and her mother as the young Miko unwrapped the silk cloths from a well-polished bow that practically hummed with energy and a katana sheathed in a black lacquered scabbard. The sword also hummed with energy, but it was a mixture of four different youki, making it impossible to figure out whom the signatures belonged to. He said nothing about the sword, nor the oddity of a Miko wielding a weapon that contained youki.

"Will you and Hiei-san really teach me how to use these?" Kagome turned, weapons in hand and concern evident on her face. She had barely been able to use a bow lent to her in Sengoku Jidai, but a sword, a full length katana, was well beyond what she was capable of handling. Her gaze went to Hiei, who also used a katana.

Hiei looked quite unreadable, his crimson gaze on the sheathed katana she held. Like InuYasha, he could sense the youki in the sword. He also knew that Kurama was able to sense it as well. "I will teach you how to use the katana," the Apparition stated. "Neither of us are an expert in how to use a bow, but between myself and the Fox you should become more than capable with it."

InuYasha snorted, but wisely held his tongue on the matter. If they wanted to train the wench then they could take that burden upon themselves for all he cared. She was more trouble than she was worth, in his opinion, but she was the only one suited to finding the Shikon no Kakera. Kaede-baa-baa was much too old and ill-suited for the amount of traveling that they would be doing. That and he hardly wanted anything to do with the elderly Miko, especially for putting the damn Beads of Subjugation on him.

"Now, this bag is special, Kagome, so please don't lose it. It is made out of something called Fire-rat fur and has been altered to carry quite a bit, even though it only looks half full," Mama Higurashi explained as Kagome shifted the bow into the crook of her left arm so she could shoulder a strap of the backpack. "Fire-rat fur is immune to flames and heat, and can mend itself."

"It's also stronger than any armor," InuYasha supplied in a gruff voice, amber-gold gaze on the black backpack.

Kagome started slightly at his helpful input, her blue eyes narrowing slightly as she pursed her lips and studied him. It seemed he would be sticking around, she decided, but so he could get his hands on the Shikon no Tama once it was collected and whole again. "I don't know how long it will take to reclaim the fragments of the jewel, so-"

"Don't worry about school, Kagome. The sooner you finish getting all of the fragments, the sooner you can come home." Mama Higurashi smiled and returned the sudden, one-armed hug her daughter gave her. "Stay safe."

Kagome nodded and closed her eyes, willing herself to not cry as she pulled away. Taking in a steadying breath, she opened her eyes and smiled a little weakly. "I'll be back." She hugged Souta and her grandfather on the way out, murmuring soft farewells as she did so, and led Kurama, Hiei and InuYasha to the well house. Upon entering she froze up, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of a writhing mass of hair coming from the well.

"Oi! What's the hold up?" InuYasha demanded, irritated at what he believed to be hesitation on Kagome's part.

Kurama and Hiei looked around the interior of the well house, on guard, but saw nothing that could have caused Kagome to freeze up like she did. When she suddenly bolted forwards and to the right, dodging something invisible to their eyes, they drew their weapons. The Hanyou stiffened slightly and readied his claws.

"You brought this horrible hair back with you!" Kagome cried out, dodging the mass of hair that only she could see once more. She glanced their way and scowled. "Come in and close the door so it can't go outside!"

They all quickly stepped into the well house and it was Kurama who shut the door, a rose in hand. With a flick of his wrist the petals swirled off and floated to the ground as the stem extended and grew in size. It became a highly flexible whip, exceedingly deadly with the large thorns running its length, and with a carefully timed twist he sliced it through the air where Kagome moved from.

She stilled, gaze on the fallen mass of hair that squirmed on the ground in the spot she had been just seconds prior. A small length of time passed, barely even a fourth of a minute, and the hair was whole and writhing angrily, suspended in the air. "It's growing back together!"

"We can't see it," InuYasha growled out, his gaze darting around.

Kagome eyed the mass of hair then followed the strands that decreased down to just two emerging from the well. Her blue gaze narrowed thoughtfully and she moved closer to the well. "Right here! The main strand controlling it," she exclaimed and pointed at the hairs.

InuYasha moved to swipe at where Kagome had pointed, but Hiei was faster. The Apparition swung his sword in a controlled arch over the well, to ensure that he got the main strand controlling the rest of the hair. A quick glance towards Kagome, relief visible on her face, was all he needed to know that he had successfully cut the hair.

Kagome stared at the now lifeless hair, watching as it dissolved now that it wasn't being controlled, a frown on her face. Her mind whirled frantically, trying to think of why the hair would be attacking them if Sakasagami no Yura had already gotten the Shikon no Kakera. 'She has the jewel fragment...so she should have already accomplished her goal, unless...' Realization hit her and Kagome tightened her grasp on the weapons she was carrying. "She's after me and InuYasha!" she exclaimed and ran to the well. Without even waiting she jumped over the lip of the well and disappeared in a flash of soft pink light.

The three males didn't move for a full few seconds, mostly from disbelief that she had gone alone. Once this was fully processed, Hiei, the fastest of the three, was next to jump down the well, closely followed by Kurama. They too vanished from the well, the same soft pink light flashing with their passing through. InuYasha, sour-faced and grumbling to himself, went through last, only when he passed through the well, the glow emitted was a bright white and then the magic was gone, fully sealed.


	5. Sakasagami no Yura

She had to admit that jumping into the well like she had done wasn't the best of ideas. She had two weapons in hand, nothing to truly grasp to climb out of the well and not to mention the damn hair that was slowly withdrawing from inside the well. Staring upwards, she was startled when there came a sudden glow from the ground she was standing on. Kagome pressed herself to the side of the well and watched as Hiei appeared where she had been standing! The Apparition immediately looked towards her, and then within a blink of her eyes he had an arm around her waist and they were sailing upwards. "No! Wait!"

Kagome's sudden outburst halted their ascension halfway up, were he gripped at the mass of vines growing down the walls of the well and gave her an irritated look. "Is there a particular reason why we cannot jump out?"

Kagome nodded and looked up above them where the hair was almost fully out of the well. "The hair is still being pulled out," she murmured. Below them came another glow, and then Kurama was there, a look of wonderment on his face. It quickly turned to surprise when he looked up and saw Hiei midway up the well holding onto Kagome and keeping them from falling by using the vines. "Kurama-san?" She twisted slightly in Hiei's grasp, causing the Apparition to grumble slightly before tightening his hold on her a little more, and looked down to see the Kitsune. "You might want to step aside… Or come join us up here. We're waiting for the hair to finish retreating."

Well, while it was understandable, Kurama was able to clearly sense Hiei's irritation. Whip still in hand, the Kitsune jumped up past them and lashed it out at the open space of the well mouth. Skillfully twisting it so that it made a full circle around the edge of the well mouth, he continued up and out of the well, with Hiei finally following after. Not a second later there was another glow from the well, indicating that InuYasha had finally come through. "So, what is this hair you mentioned?" He asked once InuYasha joined them, though the Hanyou stood a fair distance away from them.

"Before I came back to our time I had ran into a demoness. She called herself Sakasagami no Yura, and she can control hair, obviously… She stole the Shikon no Kakera I had on me." Kagome hadn't really thought much more on her after her tumble back through the well and into her time. Still, that Yura was still after her and most likely InuYasha, it was a little surprising. Maybe it had something to do with their hair, which wouldn't be surprising at all. Looking around, she gripped her two new weapons tightly and stepped closer towards Kurama.

"Hn?! Hey, wait… It's been stolen?!" InuYasha exclaimed, causing the other two Youkai to mentally roll their eyes while Kagome timidly nodded. The Inu Hanyou looked like he wanted to step closer and strangle Kagome, but he wisely refrained from doing so with the other Youkai present.

"Nevermind about the stupid Jewel, that awful hair is back!" She pointed up at where the mass was, writhing in midair, and there were many singular strands all stretched about, making the area a deadly accident waiting to happen. "Everyone move!" She pulled away from Kurama, whom he and Hiei followed suit after her, and InuYasha followed at a distance.

"If we follow the hair to the source then we can kill Yura," Kurama stated, his whip coiled and ready in case it was needed.

Kagome nodded in understanding and turned to look at the hair that was all around them. After a few precious seconds she smiled when she realized that there were a few strands that were glowing. "This way!" She took off, her pace even and her steps careful as she led them to the forest that was surrounding the well.

Some time passed and they were deep in the forest, where it was starting to get darker, when Kagome finally saw a campfire up ahead of them. Eager to have some actual light, she was about to quicken her pace when Kurama put a hand gently on her shoulder. His touch was there for only a second, but it was enough to make her stop. "Huh?"

"The scent of blood is heavy in the air, Higurashi-sama." Human blood at that. Kurama didn't know all that had happened to her for the time she had been here prior, and though it was silly of him, because they were in Sengoku Jidai of all places, he didn't want her to have to see anything unnecessary.

Kagome stared at him for a moment, processing what he had said and what it meant, then smiled weakly. "Carnage is going to be an almost daily thing, Kurama-kun, but thank you for thinking of me, and please… Just Kagome is fine." The same applied for Hiei as well, and she even glanced his way. The Apparition was paying her no mind, however, his cardinal red gaze scanning the surrounding trees.

"Oh… As you wish, Kagome-san." Kurama too glanced over to Hiei before moving forward with the Miko into the small area in the trees with the campfire. The Apparition had indeed seen her look towards him, and knew that her request also applied to him, but whether Hiei did use her given name or not was… Well, there was actually a high chance of him using it. After all, the Apparition had willing picked Kagome up to take her out of the well.

Kagome covered her mouth with her hand at the sight of the bodies caught in the hairs and dismembered as well as decapitated. She didn't have to get any closer to the corpses to realize that they belonged to humans. Her gaze darted around to the threads, now coated and dripping with the blood of the men that had unfortunately been trying to pass through the area. Letting her gaze go to the bodies, she noticed that one of them had a quiver of arrows, which hadn't been included with her bow for some odd reason. Her hands were practically full, however and she didn't have anything to secure her sword to her hip with… Unless there was something in her new bag! "Um… Kurama-kun, would you please hold these real quick?" She held the sword and bow out to him, which he silently and thankfully took.

Hiei and Kurama both noticed that the youki in the sword reacted, albeit briefly, at the Kitsune's touch before it settled and seemed to slumber. This slight distraction wasn't enough to keep their attention off of Kagome, however, who had slipped a strap of her backpack off and opened it to look for something. Whatever she was looking for, she seemed to find rather quickly for her expression brightened and she pulled an obi out of the bag and tied it around her waist. While it looked silly, what with the sweater and jeans she was wearing, it would serve its use in keeping her katana secure. Said katana was taken back from Kurama and at that point Hiei came over to Kagome.

"Your katana is an uchigatana type blade, so you wear it cutting edge up," Hiei informed her and then motioned to his own katana and showed her which layer of the obi it was inserted through. "Next, you take the sageo and tie it to your obi, and that will help keep your katana secured at your hip. As you are right-handed, it should be secured to your left hip." Hiei watched as she carefully followed his instructions, and though it was tied to the obi a bit awkwardly it was enough for now.

"Thank you, Hiei-san." Kagome gave the Apparition a grateful smile, though he merely went 'Hn' and kept walking towards where the source of the hair was. "Thank you, Kurama-kun, for holding my weapons." She closed her backpack up and took the bow back then went over to the corpse with the quiver and collected the much needed item and the arrows it held.

" _Did you notice that their heads are missing, Fox?"_ Hiei stated as Kurama led Kagome after the Apparition.

" _I did. Thankfully Kagome hasn't noticed… Curious... Maybe this Yura uses the hair of the heads she takes?"_ It would make sense, but as to why the hair couldn't be seen by anyone but Kagome? Was it perhaps masked under an illusion of some sort?

" _You seem awfully concerned about her, Fox."_ Hiei's tone was more teasing than it was accusatory, which baffled the Kitsune. This sudden turnabout in the Apparition had been noticed, and he was still trying to figure out just when it had occurred, let alone why.

" _You've been acting quite differently, Hiei. You willingly picked Kagome up and carried her out of the well. You're also being more than nice to her."_ He knew it was better to not delve, but dammit, it was rather unfair especially with Hiei making allusions to something he wasn't sure of. A hand suddenly popped up in front of his face, effectively startling him and he grasped it delicately. Glancing down at Kagome, who had a faint blush on her cheeks, he quickly let go of her hand and gave her a sheepish smile. "I apologize, Kagome-san. I was lost in thought."

"Oh, I'm sorry! It's just… We're almost there." Kagome had dropped her voice to a whisper and her grip on her bow had tightened marginally. "There's hair all over the place."

"Keh. If we take the bitch out then all of that hair will go with her," InuYasha commented from behind them, and when they turned to look at him they saw he had his arms folded over his chest.

Kurama frowned at the Inu Hanyou's choice of words, but otherwise said nothing. The stubborn Inu wasn't going to easily change his ways, and it was pointless to otherwise try to do so. "It may not be as simple as taking her out."

"Whatever you say, fox boy. I'm gonna go ahead and kill her, so step back." And with that InuYasha leapt out into the open, though they weren't hidden from Yura as swaths of hair immediately tried to attack them.

Kagome grabbed Kurama's hand and pulled, moving him out of the way of a swath of hair that struck where he'd been standing. "Let's just keep moving!" She led him out after InuYasha, though Hiei wasn't anywhere to be seen, and found that he had been caught up by Yura's hair. Beyond him, suspended high in the air was a massive ball of hair. Yura's nest. "Is this where she's hiding? In a ball of hair?" she murmured out, a little disgusted at the sight of all that hair.

"Kagome… This is most likely her nest. If that is true, then she can't be killed by normal means. I'm sure that there is something in her nest that is keeping her alive. If you find it and destroy it, it would mean the end for her. Go, and I'll try to help InuYasha." Kurama explained in a soft whisper. They couldn't see the hair, but Kagome could, so she was the only one that would be able to stop Yura. Kagome nodded and discreetly made her way over to one of the mass of strands connected to the ball of hair.

"Oh, my." A voice called out, and a slim figure descended down in front of where InuYasha was held captive. "What splendid prey I've caught." Yura smirked to herself as she observed the Inu Hanyou, her red gaze lingering on his silver hair. "You're InuYasha, aren't you?" Such a magnificent specimen of hair.

Thankfully, Kurama chose this moment to interrupt, slicing through the restraints that were invisible to him and drawing a surprised cry from Yura. "Pardon me, miss, but it's polite to introduce oneself first."

Yura's eyes snapped to the form of a Silver Kitsune and her eyes widened at the sight of him. Shock was written on her face, but it was quickly replaced by a calculating gleam. "Such beautiful hair, the both of you," she murmured, ecstatic that it would all belong to her once she got the two of them properly secured.

"I don't need your help, fox boy," InuYasha grumbled from where he had landed in a crouch and stood up, rubbing at his wrists. "I can take care of her myself."

"Oh? You, finish off me? You might have gained quite a reputation for yourself among the Oni, but a silly puppy like you couldn't kill me." Yura laughed and raised her left hand, manipulating a swath of hair to attack InuYasha. With her right she sent another swath of hair after Kurama. "And you, Kitsune… Sakasagami no Yura will have your beautiful hair."

InuYasha growled and leapt towards Yura, sending a hand through her chest. The swath of hair that had been sent after him caught up and bound him once more, and Kurama who hadn't managed to dodge his own was lifted up to join the Inu Hanyou. Meanwhile, Yura merely laughed and dis-impaled herself from InuYasha's arm.

There was a strange hissing noise that filled the air, and then suddenly a girlish scream in the direction that Kagome had gone in. Everyone's attention went to the girl who had climbed up the mass of hair and had somehow burned a hole into the side of the ball of hair, releasing over several dozen heads. Kagome was clutching an arrow in her hand, and there was a pale pink glow from the arrowhead, showing that her Miko powers had been infused into the arrow. Whether knowingly or not, it had worked.

Yura, pissed off that her nest had been damaged, pulled out a comb and raised it. "You damaged my nest!" Well, it didn't matter so much now that she would be adding such wonderful quality hair to it, which would no doubt strengthen it several times over. However, she couldn't let the girl remain up there, because she was so very close to destroying what kept her alive. "It won't matter, once I add their hair to my collection, but you can burn for all I care!" With a sweep of her comb she sent flames toward Kagome, and satisfied that the girl was taken care of she turned her attention back to InuYasha and Kurama. "She'll be burned down to the marrow of her bones, thanks to my Oni-Bi Gushi… No one can save you now."


	6. Distress, a Transferred Soul and Hanyou

"I wouldn't count on that, Yura!" Kagome called out, defiantly.

Yura quickly turned and gasped, for standing there in front of Kagome was Hiei, a hand raised and absorbing the flames. "No!"

Kagome quickly turned back to the nest and cringed slightly at the sight of all the heads before she started shoving them aside. Some of them went tumbling out and hung there, and she tried not to think about it while she searched for whatever it was that Yura had hidden in the nest.

Yura, so focused was she on Hiei, failed to notice that both InuYasha and Kurama had managed to free themselves from their bonds. The Inu Hanyou leapt up and sliced through the Oni's right arm, while Kurama cut off her left with his whip. "My arms!"

"Hard to control that hair of yours without any hands, ain't it?" InuYasha called out, only to be impaled by Yura's sword a second later. A look of complete shock spread over his face as he looked down at the sword sticking out of his chest, above the neckline of his haori, a hand holding on to the sword.

"It's no use," Yura snarled and the sword pulled out of the Hanyou as he sank to the ground. "I'm immortal!" Whirling to face where Kagome and Hiei were so she could take care of them. They were much too close to the source of her power for her comfort, so she did the only thing she could think of.

The nest collapsed and Kagome let out a shriek as she fell down with the mass of skulls. Hiei quickly caught hold of her, the Miko's arms instinctively going around his neck as he alighted them on top of the small mountain the skulls made. He turned and dodged Yura's sword, an annoyed expression on his face. "Find the source of her power and destroy it. It is most likely in one of these skulls," he stated only loud enough for Kagome to hear before he set her down and drew his own katana to fend off Yura.

The Miko didn't wait to regain herself, and she scrambled back to the top of the mound on her hands and knees to start digging through the skulls. After several seconds of frantic digging her hands came into contact with a red skull. Strands of hair were coming out of the gaping eye sockets, which were connected to Yura's hands. "This is it!" She pulled an arrow out of her quiver and without any hesitation she pierced through the skull.

Yura shrieked as the skull crumbled and the arrow pierced a red comb, not unlike the one she had used to cast her flames towards Kagome earlier. The comb shattered and everyone watched as Yura disappeared entirely, leaving behind only her clothes and her sword with its sheath.

"So that's why she couldn't be hurt. The bitch had transferred her soul into that fucking comb," InuYasha grumbled, drawing Kagome's attention to him.

Her eyes widened as she took in the state of his wounds, then she briefly turned her gaze to Kurama who looked fine. "InuYasha…" Kagome felt sorry for him, despite how horrible he had been to her thus far. "That terrible wound." It was a wonder he wasn't dead, even if it was too high to have pierced his heart.

InuYasha, flustered at the sudden concern from Kagome, edged away from her as she moved towards him. "I'll be fine. Go get the Shikon no Kakera," he said in a gruff tone.

Kagome stiffened slightly then nodded and slowly climbed up to where Yura's clothes lay. She quickly located the pouch with the fragment in it and slipped it around her neck. _Just how long will it take to find all of the pieces?_ She wondered silently.

"We should get going, Kagome." Kurama called out from the bottom of the skull mound. Hiei was standing beside him, looking indifferent, and InuYasha was already on his way down the mound.

The Miko nodded and climbed down, inwardly disgusted by the skulls that she was coming into contact with. "I'd love a bath," she mumbled as she reached the bottom and promptly began wiping her hands on her jeans.

"Isn't there a village nearby?" Kurama asked while Hiei vanished amongst the tree branches nearby.

"Kaede's village," InuYasha responded, suddenly remembering that the old woman was still buried where he had left her, if only to protect her.

"Oh! I hope Yura didn't attack the village!" Kagome looked positively horrified at that thought and quickly began for the forest surrounding the clearing.

InuYasha chose to remain silently and took up the rear, with Kurama closely behind Kagome. He knew the state of the village hadn't been all that good when he had left it to go fetch the girl, and it hadn't changed in the amount of time that had passed.

* * *

Kagome had been rather horrified to find the village rather decimated, and it wasn't easy to locate Kaede whom glared quite sourly at InuYasha. Together, with the help of Kurama, they returned the old Miko to her hut and helped tend to the villagers that were awakening from whatever spell had been put upon them. Once everyone was cared for, Kagome remembered InuYasha's wound and went to find him lounging in a low branch of a tree. "InuYasha… Come down so we can look at your injury!"

"I don't need healing," the Hanyou snapped, crossing his arms over his supposedly injured chest while he glowered down at the girl.

"You were badly hurt, weren't you?" Kagome questioned, waving the medical kit she had dug out of her backpack.

"Youkai and Hanyou heal faster than Ningen do, Kagome." Hiei stated from his perch in a tree a ways to the left of the Hanyou.

"Hanyou?" Kagome blinked and turned to see if she could spot Hiei. She couldn't and frowned slightly as she lowered the box of medical supplies. "What's a Hanyou?"

"That would be what the offspring of a Ningen and a Youkai is called. In InuYasha's case, he is an Inu Hanyou." Came Kurama's voice from behind Kagome.

The girl turned around and saw the Kitsune Youkai standing there on a path leading back to the village, arms full of various herbs. "I don't know how to say this without sounding strange, but is that why you and Hiei-san feel different from InuYasha?"

"That would be somewhat correct." Kurama stated slowly, trying to think best on how to word it without making it all sound confusing. "You know that Hiei and I are full-blooded Youkai. No two Youkai would _feel_ the same, just like no two Hanyou would _feel_ the same. This includes individuals among a species. You might not be far enough along in your Miko training to tell any further differences yet, but given time and practice you will understand."

Kagome nodded while InuYasha just snorted soft enough for the two Youkai to hear. "I noticed back at my house that Hiei-san called you Fox. That would make you a Kitsune Youkai?" She hugged the medical kit to her chest somewhat as Kurama nodded, then turned and looked to where Hiei was hidden among the trees. "If you don't mind my asking, Hiei-san, what kind of Youkai are you?"

The Apparition stepped out of the shadows within the tree and looked down at Kagome with a blank expression. "I will tell you this much, for you must earn the rest. I am part Fire Apparition."

Kagome blinked a little then nodded, not wanting to probe for more information on her companions than they were willing to give. "Thank you, Hiei-san." She bowed respectfully then walked over to Kurama. "Are those for Kaede-san?"

He looked down at the herbs he was carefully holding and gave a slight nod. "Some of them are for her, and the rest are for us should we need them."

Kagome thought about it for a brief span of time, and it made sense that they would eventually need a variety of herbs because her medical kit wouldn't last forever. "Could you teach me about them, how to prepare and store them as well as their uses?" This knowledge would come in handy, especially if she were to ever be in a situation that called for it. One more thing to learn wasn't going to hurt.

"Absolutely," Kurama replied with a genuine smile, happy that Kagome was wanting to spend time with him even if was to learn something.

"Just how long are we going to waste time here?" InuYasha questioned in a snappish tone, drawing their attention to him.

Kagome looked up at him, Kurama as well (though he glared), and frowned. "Kaede-san is too hurt to help out the villagers who still need healing, InuYasha. I also need to learn some of the basics of the bow and the sword so I won't be much of a hindrance if we get attacked. You can go searching on your own if you want, but we're not leaving with things as they currently are." She hadn't been able to do anything against Yura (apart from jamming an arrow into a stupid skull), and if Hiei hadn't saved her from the fire she was quite sure she would've been killed.

InuYasha looked rather put out by her response and slouched on his branch instead of arguing further. Growling a bit, he looked away from Kagome and the Kitsune Youkai, looking every bit a pouty child.

* * *

A few days passed in which Kagome spent majority of her time training with both Hiei and Kurama. She was quite sore, especially from the sword training with Hiei, but she felt accomplished in the few basics she had learned from both Youkai. Those basics were far from mastered, but as they did need to start collecting the Shikon no Kakera, it was determined that she would continue her training on the move.

Kaede was well on the mend, her left arm in a sling, and insisted that she didn't need for them to stick around. She was thankful for their (Kurama, Kagome and Hiei) help, but she was able to tend to the villagers now that she could move about. She was delighted by the rare herbs that Kurama had acquired, and discreetly asked that he bring back any other rare herbs that he happened across in their travels, so that she would have some for her garden.

"I promise to do what I can, Kaede-sama." Kurama knew that it had been an inevitable thing, and while he couldn't bring back any dangerous specimens, he would bring back what he could. It was thanks to Kaede's influence over the village that he and Hiei hadn't been chased out (not that they could), as well as the fact that every able-bodied human had been injured in some way. The acceptance of the villagers seemed grudging, and that was to be expected. Most Youkai loathed humans and saw them as inferior.

"I'm ready to go, Kurama-kun." Kagome came out of Kaede's hut, her hair pulled back and tied with a white strip of cloth. She wore the traditional Miko garb, another influence of Kaede's, which she had found several sets of the red hakama and the white haori folded and tucked at the bottom of her backpack. There had been no other clothes packed, and the only set of modern clothes she did have were the ones she had worn back to this era. "Thank you, Kaede-san, for your hospitality, and thank you for your guidance. I will continue to work on honing my powers while we travel," she said as she bowed to the elderly Miko.

"Think nothing of it, Kagome." Kaede smiled at the girl, who she honestly thought had quite a lot on her plate. Learning the way of the sword, how to use a bow, herbs and finally how to use her powers. She could see faint traces of exhaustion on her face, but the girl seemed energetic enough. Hopefully she would begin to strengthen through her training and become accustomed to it. There was no other who could purify the Shikon no Tama that she knew of.

"We'll come back and see how things are going!" Kagome slipped her backpack on and left, Kurama following after her as she made her way to the edge of the village that bordered on the forest that Goshinboku resided in. Hiei and InuYasha were there, only the Inu Hanyou was gazing down at his palm while there was an irritated look on his face. Hiei looked disinterested in whatever was occurring with their grudging party member, but Kagome was intrigued. "Is everything okay, InuYasha?"

InuYasha curled his hand into a fist as he looked down at the girl, a frown passing over his features as he took in the Miko garb. He wisely withheld his opinions of how she looked, which was like Kikyou (not that he needed reminding), and leapt down to show her what was in his fist. Resting on his palm, and quite flattened, was a rather large insect like creature. "This here is Myouga the Flea."

"Flea?" Kagome looked utterly confused as she leaned in closer to get a better look at said flea.

"I am more than able to introduce myself, InuYasha." The flea hopped up and stood up on InuYasha's palm, startling the Miko into giving a short shriek as she backed away.

"He can talk!" Really, it shouldn't have been so surprising. It was a named flea, but it had still been so sudden.

"Myouga… That name is somewhat familiar." Kurama comment, coming up behind Kagome and resting a hand on her shoulder. "I believe he was some sort of retainer for the Inu no Taishou."

"That would be correct." Myouga looked from the girl, who was now calming to the Silver Kitsune. He blinked and stared, for he had never tasted the blood of such a rare Youkai. Without hesitation he leapt out of InuYasha's palm towards the Kitsune, only to be flicked back towards the Hanyou.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Kurama said in a low tone as InuYasha caught the flea Youkai, an irritated look returning to the Hanyou's face.

"He never learns," InuYasha grumbled as he flattened the flea between his index finger and thumb. "Anyhow, he came because somebody is trying to violate my old man's tomb."

"I was far too anxious to stay there as a mere grave-keeper," Myouga informed them with a huff as he put himself to sorts yet again.

"You deserted the tomb and ran away," InuYasha accused.

"Who is the Inu no Taishou?" Kagome asked suddenly, wondering if this was in fact InuYasha's father.

"He was an Inu Daiyoukai who ruled over the Western Lands, and was InuYasha's father, if I am not mistaken." Kurama stated, knowing that his information was accurate. He had never crossed paths with the Daiyoukai in his time, but he had heard of him.

"And he had the tastiest blood," Myouga added with a sigh.

"Oh… Then what about his mother?" Kagome asked, suddenly interested to know more about the gruff Hanyou, now that she had overcome her shock of Myouga.

"Shut up, will ya. She died a long time ago." And it was frankly none of their business. Glaring, and receiving a glare from Kurama in return, InuYasha growled softly.

"InuYasha's mother was incredibly beautiful," Myouga stated, despite the Hanyou's want for the matter to drop. This earned him getting flattened again and dropped by InuYasha, who then promptly went into the forest and disappeared from their sight.

 _Did I say something to offend him?_ Kagome wondered, watching the Hanyou until he disappeared. _I only asked him about his mother…_ His father was a Youkai, and InuYasha was a Hanyou… Which meant that… _His mother was human._ She frowned slightly and turned when Kurama lightly squeezed her shoulder.

"It is best to not pry any further. If InuYasha wants to share anything of his past, it must be his choice to share it, but do not feel bad." Even though he had known of InuYasha's origins, there were still some details that even he didn't know. Whatever had happened had helped resulting in how InuYasha was now. "We best go after him."

Kagome nodded and slipped away from Kurama to follow InuYasha's path into the forest, with the Kitsune behind her. Hiei took his usual route among the tree branches, and they soon found where InuYasha had taken up a perch in a tree edging on a clearing in the forest. As they came close enough, Kagome sensed something that made the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stand on end.

"Get down," InuYasha growled softly as he leapt down from the tree and crouched low.

Kagome crouched too without hesitation, and Kurama knelt next to her. _What's this feeling?_ It felt dangerous, and it was scaring her. "What's going on?" She whispered out."

"It's an immense amount of youki," Kurama replied softly, just as a carriage appeared in the darkening sky.

 _A carriage?_ Kagome felt her jaw drop a little as she and the others watched the carriage, covered in imps, descend towards the distance. A screen fluttered in the wind, giving them a glimpse of a beautiful woman seated within the carriage.

InuYasha suddenly stood up, a look of confusion on his face. "M-mother?"


	7. A Mother's Face

"That is not your mother." It was Hiei who spoke up, surprisingly, his tone flat. InuYasha and Kagome both turned to stare at him, though the Hanyou looked a bit resentful.

"You stated that your mother was dead, InuYasha, and that woman up there, while she may _look_ like your mother, reeks of youki." Kurama was still watching the carriage, a frown on his face.

Lightning lit up the sky, revealing that it was threatening to storm and that something was descending from the clouds. Kagome and InuYasha both returned their gazes to the carriage just in time to see it get crushed by the large clawed appendage of an oni. The wood of the carriage fell away and revealed that the woman, whomever she was, was in the grasp of the oni and was little better than a rag doll.

"I don't care if that's not my mother! She's in trouble!" InuYasha growled out before he darted towards the large oni in the distance.

Kagome blinked and looked from the retreating Hanyou's back to the Youkai woman held by the oni. "What should we do?" InuYasha wasn't very friendly, which was quite off-putting, but they couldn't very well let him rush off on his own and get himself killed.

"That is your call, Kagome. We are here to help you, and to help InuYasha if that is what you want." Kurama gave her a friendly smile while Hiei merely snorted in the background. Still, what he said was very much true and even if they didn't like InuYasha they would help him out at her request.

"Let's go save him from himself." Kagome tightened her grip on her bow and ran after the Hanyou, who had reached the oni by now and was leaping towards it.

" _Another has entered the fight, Fox. Try not to give yourself away when you recognize who it is."_ Hiei casually followed after Kagome, his pace sedate even as a stream of fire shot towards InuYasha from up on the Oni's arm.

Kurama blinked and let his gaze go to the figures that stood on the Oni's upper arm, holding the ends to the chains that were binding and holding InuYasha's not-mother. Shock was the first thing he felt, but before that had a chance to fully register he bolted after the others. Meeting Sesshoumaru this early wouldn't bode well for them. He was known to have quite a hatred for humans in his younger years, and being that they weren't certain when the turning point in how he regarded humans had been made, he wasn't going to take chances with Kagome.

"Jaken. We'll talk first, kill later." Sesshoumaru's voice was chilly as he addressed the Kappa Youkai at his side.

The Kappa in question relented his assault on InuYasha and hefted the Nintojo up. The old man's head on the staff stopped spewing its flames while Jaken looked up at Sesshoumaru. "Yes, my lord."

"You bastard, Sesshoumaru!" InuYasha growled as he crouched where he had landed, his puppy dog ears flattened against the top of his head.

"Oh? Well done, it seems you've remembered the face of your elder brother." Sesshoumaru gave a malicious smirk as he spoke, his tone chilly.

Kagome blinked as she observed this moment between InuYasha and the person claiming to be his elder brother. It should have come as any surprise to her, but there was a lot that she didn't know, and the Inu Hanyou was very willing to give up any of his personal information to anyone. Looking at the rather aristocratic male up on the Oni's arm, she frowned slightly. His youki didn't feel anything like InuYasha's. It was more like Hiei and Kurama's, but as they had explained to her before they had started teaching her, it was slightly different. Sesshoumaru was a full blooded Youkai, obviously of the Inu variety. From his state of dress, however, and how the strange little demon beside him had addressed him, he was someone of importance. She had to wonder at the coloring on his face and what it all meant, however. Surely Youkai had no need for makeup, and Sesshoumaru's aura screamed of pure, dominating masculinity.

"Hm?" Sesshoumaru's gaze travelled over the rest of them, though it seemed to linger on Kagome longer than the others. "Well, if it isn't a _human_ girl. A Miko at that."

Kagome stiffened slightly at how he said the word human, as if it were something disgusting. She started to open her mouth to say something, but a slight touch to her shoulder from Kurama had her staying silent.

"My apologies for interrupting you, Sesshoumaru-sama, but this Miko is under mine and my associate's protection." Kurama gave a partial bow, to show the Inu Daiyoukai some modicum of respect, but he kept his tone firm and even to show that he was not one to be trifled with. He let his youki flare just enough for the Daiyoukai to take him seriously.

Sesshoumaru gave Kurama a pensive stare, his expression schooled into a mask of indifference, before he finally settled his gaze back onto InuYasha. "Regardless of whom you choose to keep company with that does not change the fact that you are a Hanyou whose mother is a vile creature like a human. You have brought shame upon our family." He tightened his grasp on the chains and tugged on them, bringing the not-mother's head up.

InuYasha growled low in his throat while Kagome watched on in silence, shock trickling into her emotions. She had figured right in thinking that InuYasha's mother was a human, but having it confirmed like this… She frowned and stared up at Sesshoumaru, trying to figure out why he hated InuYasha and humans so much. That part was easy to understand, with how he spoke in such a condescending tone towards the Inu Hanyou, and the way he talked of humans… Surely it couldn't be something as simple as InuYasha's mother being human. She didn't know how Youkai society worked, which would be another thing she would have to ask Kurama about.

"Sesshoumaru, you bastard. Did you come all this fucking way just to say that?" InuYasha cracked his knuckles threateningly as he glared up at his brother.

Sesshoumaru almost looked affronted at that insinuation. Almost. "Moron. I do not have that much spare time." Instead he remained rather composed. "I've come to ask you for the location of father's tomb."

"The old man's tomb?" As if his tone wasn't obvious enough, InuYasha's face crinkled up slightly in confusion. "I dunno. I have no clue."

"Is that so?" Sesshoumaru looked unimpressed by InuYasha's lack of knowledge on the whereabouts of the tomb. "Well then, it can't be helped." Without a single motion or word the Oni began tightening its hold on the woman that supposedly looked like InuYasha's mother. "Your mother will just have to suffer."

Kagome clenched her fists, a worried look on her face. They knew that the woman, a Youkai, wasn't InuYasha's mother, but she didn't deserve what she was going through. "Can't we do anything?" She asked in a whisper.

Kurama, who had been studying the woman with a frown on his face, looked to Kagome's troubled face. "There is something off about her," he murmured, unable to place what kind of Youkai the woman was.

InuYasha gave them a quick glance then growled as he stepped toward the Oni and Sesshoumaru. "Think I'm stupid, you bastard!? Mom's been dead for years! You phony…"

"What a moron you are," Sesshoumaru interrupted with a small, toneless chuckled. "When, especially for your sake, your mother's soul was brought back from the land of the dead. I even gave her a body."

Everyone froze at that, Kagome and InuYasha both stunned by the news while Kurama frowned even further. Hiei eyed the Youkai woman this time, prepared to activate his Jagan to get to the bottom of this once and for all. He was stopped by the woman speaking, her voice strained and breathy, thanks to the chains around her neck.

"Inu… InuYasha…" She raised a hand and reached down toward the Hanyou, her gaze a perfectly crafted sadness.

_Then she's…not a fake?_

"Don't concern yourself with me," the woman stated in a pained voice. "As my body has died once already." She managed a weak smile before the Oni's hand tightened even further and she cried out, but it wasn't enough to drown out the sound of bones crunching and breaking.

"Shit!" InuYasha leapt up and readied his claws. "Sankon Tessou!" He attacked the Oni's forearm, slicing through it with his youki imbued claws and causing it to drop the woman. She fell to the ground, near where Kagome and the others were.

"Are you okay?" The young Miko asked as she knelt down beside the woman, reaching out to help her up.

"Kagome! Take mom and get out of here!" InuYasha shouted out as he landed near the Oni's feet. He tried to go to them, but the Oni attacked at Sesshoumaru's behest, catching him under its hand.

"You won't get away," Sesshoumaru snarled as InuYasha was knocked towards Kagome and the woman.

"InuYasha!" The woman cried out and sat up. She reached her hands out towards InuYasha and a glow began to emit from between them. A lotus flower appearing in the center of the light which had brightened considerably.

Uncertain of what was going on, Kurama came up behind Kagome and pulled her to him with a protective arm around her waist. The glow enveloped them, as well as InuYasha, and the four of them disappeared.

Hiei was left behind, staring at Sesshoumaru, Jaken and the Oni with a dispassionate stare. He gripped the hilt of his katana, his youki flaring in warning to the Daiyoukai.

-AWiT-

"Uh…" InuYasha opened his eyes and slowly shifted on the soft grass of a riverbank. He sat up on his haunches and looked around, a frown on his face. Kagome and Kurama were laid down beside him, both seemingly unconscious. "This is…"

"The border between the world of the living and the world of the dead." The woman, his mother, spoke as she approached him. "I shall return to the world of the dead from here." She looked serene, and her tone was soft. "InuYasha. It seems you've really grown up."

InuYasha stood up and they walked toward the river's edge. "Well, yeah. I was just a brat when you died."

She bowed her head, her eyes closed as she gave a soft sigh. "I'm sorry. It must have been very painful for you."

A pair of sharp golden eyes watched the two converse from under short lashes. He had been awake the entire time, feigning unconsciousness so he could ascertain what the youkai woman's intentions were. There was no way that she was his mother, and the fact that a sleep and binding spell had been attempted on him and Kagome meant that she was there for something else. "Kagome," he whispered, giving the girl a slight squeeze around her waist.

She groaned softly and struggled to open her eyes, the spell having obviously affected her. Kagome stiffened slightly when she realized she couldn't move, though she could feel Kurama's arm. She couldn't even speak.

"Don't panic. Look at InuYasha and the woman and tell me what you see." Kurama shifted slightly and sat up so he could look at the binding spell on her. A slight scowl formed and he started drawing on his power to undo the Youkai woman's spell.

She calmed down and let her gaze go to the two by the water's edge. They seemed fine, and nothing seemed out of place, but Kurama wanted her to look for something. A glance at their reflections in the water revealed what it was. _She… She has no face!_ That startling realization had her panicking again, because they both seemed so far away and she couldn't warn InuYasha. _That isn't your mother! InuYasha…_


	8. The Nothing Woman

_Can't you see, InuYasha!?_ She tried to move again, grunting softly as she fought against the spell keeping her in place. She could sense that Kurama was working on counteracting it with his own Youki, but it wasn't unraveling fast enough. She had to use her own Miko powers as well. Exhaling softly, she closed her eyes and focused on the lessons that Kurama and Hiei had been giving her to help her with her powers.

Realizing what Kagome was trying to do Kurama gave a faint, wry smile and doubled his efforts on undoing the spell. "Concentrate and bring your power to the surface, Kagome," he ordered in a soft, encouraging tone.

Kagome pictured her power in her mind like she had been instructed, a ball in the center of her body. Taking one of the many tendrils that wisped off of the ball, she gently guided it outwards. Usually her power would need to be brought to her hands and concentrated there so that it could be channeled into a weapon of her choice or to form a barrier, but in this instance she wasn't sure what to do. Maybe if she let her power just cover every inch of her, like a second skin…

"Yes, just like that," Kurama murmured, watching as a very faint glow suffused her skin for a brief moment. He started to withdraw his youki so it wouldn't react with Kagome's holy powers, but a curious sensation halted him. Their powers weren't clashing. Instead, Kagome's power was attempting to work with his to undo the spell. "Easy… Take it slow." He didn't want them to hurt each other.

Kagome kept her breathing even as her power came into contact with Kurama's. It felt weird at first, and she could tell that it wanted to fight the youki, and it would if she asked it to, but she didn't want to hurt Kurama. _I want to get rid of the spell. I need to work with him._ It took a lot of concentration on her part, and it was worth it because her power started to twine with the youki in order to combat the spell. She could feel when it broke and her eyes snapped open, a triumphant smile on her lips. It quickly faded when she remembered that InuYasha needed their help.

"When you withdraw your power make sure you do it slowly." Kurama began withdrawing his youki back into his body, noting that Kagome immediately began withdrawing her own as well. "Good job. Now let's go rescue InuYasha from himself, hm?" He got up and held out a hand for the Miko to take.

Kagome sat up and took the offered hand, both excited and anxious. She had initially thought that using her powers would hard, but with the rather simple instructions her mentors had provided her it was surprisingly easy. She stood up as well and looked over to where InuYasha and the faceless woman were only to gasp. "InuYasha!"

The woman had her hands plunged into InuYasha's back, a victorious smile on her lips. "I won't let you go… Become one with me." Where her hands went into InuYasha's back they began to fade and she was wrist deep.

InuYasha himself was paralyzed by whatever spell she had worked on him, though he could still hear someone calling out his name. _Shit… I should have listened…_ He turned his head with some effort and saw Kagome and Kurama from his peripheral. The lovely landscape from before had turned dark and gloomy before everything darkened completely.

Kagome started to pull away from Kurama to run over to where the Inu Hanyou and the Youkai woman were but the Kitsune grabbed hold of her wrist to hold her back. She looked to Kurama with a look of confusion on her face, only to find that he had a finger up to his lips.

"We can't go rushing in without a plan. I have an idea as to what kind of Youkai that woman is, but we need to be careful." With his sharp hearing he could hear a boat approaching through the waterway. The scent of the passenger was that of the Kappa that was accompanying Sesshoumaru. "I suspect that she is a Nothing Woman, which is a Youkai formed of the vengeful spirits of mothers who have lost their children to war or famine. She protects children in danger, but will also try to merge or absorb them, as she seems to be doing with InuYasha."

"How do we stop her from doing that to InuYasha?" Kagome glanced over to where the two were with a frown. InuYasha was partially merged into the woman's bared torso, his face sunk in between her breasts. Jaken now stood in front of them and seemed to be conversing with the Nothing Woman. "We need to hurry."

"Destroy the reflection in the water. The Nothing Woman is holding his soul captive with the reflection of the water." Kurama let go of Kagome's wrist and silently strode towards their comrade in danger. He would take care of Jaken and the Nintoujou, lest he try to use the flames of the staff on Kagome. Brandishing a rose, he flicked it and extended it into a whip while Kagome crept around to the other side of the trio. As soon as she made for the water's edge he made his move, wrapping the whip around the staff and wrenching it from Jaken's grasp.

The staff went flying through the air, only to be caught by Sesshoumaru. The Inu Daiyoukai stared down at them impassively, his gaze narrowing slightly when Kagome shattered the Nothing Woman's spell by striking the reflection with her sword. The sword was humming with an interesting mix of youki, but it wasn't the sword he was after. "What information did she gather, Jaken?"

Kagome stiffened where she was, kneeling by InuYasha, when she heard Sesshoumaru's voice. Glaring up in the Daiyoukai's direction, she gently touched the Inu Hanyou's shoulder. "Are you okay, InuYasha?" She asked in a whisper, finally looking to the Hanyou with an expression of concern.

"I'm fine," he grumbled.

"T-the right black pearl, Sesshoumaru-sama." Jaken gave his Lord a nervous glance then swallowed as he shifted his gaze to the Nintoujou. The staff was tossed down to him which he caught, though it smacked into his face.

Sesshoumaru quickly appeared behind InuYasha and grabbed him up by the back of his neck, his expression cold and calculating. "Then I know where the tomb is."

Kagome gasped and scrambled backwards onto her bottom, her back coming to rest against something firm. Startled, she looked up to find she was against Kurama who had his whip in hand. _Where is Hiei-san?_ Blinking, she focused on her senses to discover that Hiei was also behind her and to her left.

" _Nice of you to join us, Hiei. Gather anything interesting from Sesshoumaru-sama?"_ Kurama asked mentally of his Apparition friend. He helped Kagome to stand up once again while they watched the Inu brothers.

" _He is after an heirloom kept inside of their father's tomb."_ Hiei's answer was rather evasive, so it was obvious the Apparition definitely knew more than he was letting on.

"To think that it would be in such a fantastic place that even this Sesshoumaru failed to perceive it." Sesshoumaru tightened his grip on InuYasha's neck as a vicious and victorious smirk alighted on his face.


	9. The Black Pearl

It was hard to watch as Sesshoumaru continued to hold InuYasha up by the back of his neck, that vicious and victorious smirk still on his face. The tips of his nails, which looked like claws, were beginning to dig into the tender flesh of the Hanyou's throat, cutting into the skin. Blood seeped out of the wounds and trailed down InuYasha's neck to stain the white hanjuban he wore under his fire rat suikan-hitatare.

"Father certainly hid the tomb in a strange place," Sesshoumaru mused aloud as he switched from holding InuYasha by the back of his neck to his throat.

"You bastard," InuYasha weakly growled out.

_Right black pearl… Right black pearl?_ Kagome repeated the location in her mind, drawing a blank as she tried to figure out what it could mean. _Right…_ She stared at the two brothers, her gaze first going to Sesshoumaru, who was looking more and more victorious by the second, then to InuYasha, who had struggled to grasp at the wrist of the hand holding him up. _Right black pearl…_ Her gaze lingered on the Hanyou and she began to concentrate on the right side of his face. A small gasp left her as she focused on his eye, the black pupil narrowed in anger.

" _What a strange place for a tomb,"_ Kurama stated in her mind through the connection that Hiei maintained. _"Strange, but ingenious."_

" _It would explain the difficulty Sesshoumaru-sama had in locating the Inu no Taishou's tomb."_ Hiei's tone was flat and conveyed his boredom in regards to the situation.

Kagome blinked at the odd sensation of having the two Youkai speaking directly into her mind. There was really no other way to describe it, and she wasn't sure if there was a way of putting it into words. _"Um… Wow, I would have never guessed you two were telepathic."_ It certainly explained their lack of needing to physically communicate with one another.

" _Only one of us is able to communicate telepathically, Kagome-san. The other is able to broadcast through the telepathic link,"_ Kurama explained, though without giving away who it was that was telepathic.

" _It is an ability I gained through much pain,"_ Hiei added quietly, outing himself to the Miko. This made Kurama give him a questioning look, to which the apparition just gave a shake of his head.

Kagome glanced at Hiei over her shoulder, a thoughtful expression on her face. There was no doubt that he was telepathic, thus able to read her mind if he so chose to. The mention that he had gained it through a lot of pain tugged at her heart, but if she were figuring Hiei correctly, then he wasn't the type who wanted anyone to feel sad or sorry for him. So she merely went with, _"This could be very useful in situations where speaking out loud would get us in trouble."_ It also lacked the distinct need for air that physical talking required. Speaking of the need for air, InuYasha was starting to look a bit blue in the face. _"Why is he looking for their father's tomb?"_

" _There is apparently an heirloom which the Inu no Taishou left in his tomb. Sesshoumaru is after this supposed heirloom,"_ Hiei informed them, his tone flattening slightly as though he were disinterested in the whole ordeal.

Kagome looked thoughtful at the mention of an heirloom, wondering at what it could be to make InuYasha's older brother do something like this. After a few seconds she decided that now wasn't the time to wonder about it when InuYasha was still struggling to breathe. She readied herself to step forward and do something, but paused, her eyes widening as Sesshoumaru, quick as lightning, pierced the Hanyou's right eye with his index and middle finger. Just as quickly he pulled them back out, a small black orb held between them while he let go of InuYasha, his task accomplished. Worried for the gruff Hanyou, she ran over to him while he propped himself up on an elbow as Sesshoumaru stepped away from them.

"No wonder I couldn't find it despite how much I scoured the earth," Sesshoumaru mused as he closed his hand around the black marble-like orb. He glanced down at InuYasha, a look of disgust on his face. "There was only one clue to the tomb's whereabouts. A place that one could see, but never be seen. A place that the grave keeper would never be able to look upon." He held the black orb up again between his still bloodied fingers, a sinister smile replaced his disgusted expression. "And so it was hidden away in this bastard's right eye."

"Bastard! Just for that, you went so far as to make a fake copy of my mother?" InuYasha growled the words out, shifting where he was as he prepared to attack his elder half-brother. "I won't forgive you!" He launched himself at Sesshoumaru with that declaration, intending to gouge the Inu Daiyoukai with his claws.

Sesshoumaru easily dodged the rather telegraphed attack, enclosing the black pearl in his fist once more so that the small item wouldn't be lost. "I'm in a hurry," he began, his tone rather bored. "So if you get in my way you'll have to die," the Inu finished, flexing and making the fingers of his unoccupied hand pop as he readied an attack of his own.

In a flurry of movement that was too fast for Kagome to track at this point in her training, the Nothing Woman flung herself between the two half-siblings, taking the fatal blow meant for InuYasha. Her shredded remains dropped to the ground in front of InuYasha while the young Miko watched on in wonderment at the Youkai's actions. "She protected InuYasha…?" Kagome softly stated the question aloud, her tone laced with surprise and confusion.

"A Nothing Woman is a Youkai that is composed of a mother's tender feelings towards her children, Kagome." Kurama was beside her now, his honey-hued gaze focused on Sesshoumaru. "It would stand to reason that she views InuYasha as her child and protecting a child, any child, is within the Nothing Woman's nature." It was a cold and cruel method for the Inu Daiyoukai to use, especially since it still obviously incensed InuYasha towards him, but they were in Sengoku Jidai where tactics like these were commonplace.

"My… b… boy…" The faceless Youkai's voice was almost completely inaudible, only those with enhanced hearing being able to pick up the Nothing Woman's final words right before Sesshoumaru deliberately crushed its head underfoot. This action caused Kagome to reel in shock, anger flickering to life in her eyes.

There was a tirade ready on Kagome's lips that immediately died away at the touch to her shoulder. She went stock still, only moving enough to glance at Kurama who shook his head no. The Kitsune's expression was guarded, his amber eyes flickering slightly as he seemed to be remembering something.

" _It would be unwise to provoke Sesshoumaru-sama over something that is considered to be a family matter between him and InuYasha."_ Kurama's words made sense, and had she been in the same position with someone from her family she wouldn't want some stranger telling her off for using something that was underhanded. Still…

" _We agreed to help InuYasha, and if it means angering his brother, then so be it."_ Kagome's answer was given in a firm, no nonsense tone, her resolve strengthening as she squared her shoulders. _"Even if he's more than a little rough around the edges."_ She stepped forward and softly cleared her throat, catching the attention of Sesshoumaru and temporarily keeping InuYasha from trying to attack his brother without any success. "Pardon my intrusion in your family matter, Sesshoumaru-sama," she started, bowing low to the Daiyoukai to show him that she respected him.

A sneer formed on Sesshoumaru's lips as he stared down at the human girl for her interruption. Behind him Jaken had raised the Nintoujou, with every intent of turning human and her companions into ash, which he stopped with a sharp glance. "Make your pleas quickly, human," he growled out, eyes flashing as they returned to the still bowing girl.

"From what I understand, Sesshoumaru-sama, is that you are seeking something that is kept within your father's tomb. I will not pretend to understand your quarrel with InuYasha, but please do not harm him. Just take whatever it is you are after." Kagome came out of her bow, her blue gaze boldly locked on to Sesshoumaru's while InuYasha had stiffened beside her. "We wish no quarrel with you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

InuYasha opened his mouth and closed it, repeating the process several times while his face colored in anger. A sharp jab to his back from the hilt of Hiei's katana was the only thing that kept him from exploding towards Kagome and her interference.

Sesshoumaru took all of this in, naturally, and while denying the girl her request, which was quite reasonable and would net him the sword within his father's tomb, was something he was debating his curiosity was piqued. The girl had addressed him appropriately and the demons with her, excluding InuYasha, matched him in power. Needlessly making enemies of them was something he couldn't stand for when he didn't have the power of Tessaiga at his beck and call. "You will have no quarrel with this Sesshoumaru. Jaken, give me the Nintoujou."

The Kappa flailed a bit, having hoped that his Lord and master would have seen reason and simply melted the fools before them. Unfortunately for Jaken, he was unable to sense the powers that matched his Lord's coming from the two Youkai accompanying the rather strong Miko. Still, he was good at obeying orders and handed Sesshoumaru the two-headed staff.

Sesshoumaru tossed down the black pearl and raised the staff over it. Bringing the tip of the stave down on it with a resounding crack, he let go of the staff and watched as it remained in place, the mouth of the old man opening to let out a rather creepy laugh. The ground began to shake and a black, swirling glow began emitting from the pearl that grew larger with each passing second. It created a wind that lifted Sesshoumaru's hair while the Inu Daiyoukai smirked victoriously. Very quickly they vanished into the vortex that was once the pearl, now floating above the ground.

InuYasha was the first to move, darting towards the vortex that his brother had gone through. "Sesshoumaru, you bastard! I'll kill you!" He all but dived into the swirling mass without even so much as glancing back towards Kagome, who had done her best to keep him from harm, and the demons accompanying her.

Kagome stared for a few seconds, a little shocked but unsurprised that InuYasha had gone after his brother. Of course he was unable to let anything go. "We'll help him one more time," she muttered before taking off after him. Kurama and Hiei dutifully followed after the near sullen Miko, exchanging silent glances that spoke volumes.

Within seconds of entering the vortex, a portal to the Inu no Taishou's tomb, they were freefalling upside down over a colossal skeleton. Kagome shrieked upon the realization of their dire circumstances, failing to notice that Kurama had wrapped his arms around her waist and that their descent had slowed within seconds. When her hair came to hang down and block a good portion of her vision did she stop screaming, utterly perplexed as to why she wasn't plummeting to the ground.

"You're safe, Kagome," Kurama murmured loud enough for her to hear.

The Miko blushed when she figured out that Kurama was holding on to her, though that didn't explain how they weren't falling. Well, they were still descending, but at a much slower rate. Twisting a bit to look up, she gasped when she saw parts of a large pair of strange, leaf-like wings holding Kurama up. Her words seemed to fail her though her shock and awe were apparent in her gaze.

"The wings are a plant called Floating Leaf. They are a variety of plant that grows in Makai in the present." Kurama explained while Kagome craned her neck a bit to get a better look at the butterfly-like wings of the Floating Leaf. Sensing Hiei's own descent having slowed, he glanced in the Apparition's direction to find he had landed on rather skeletal looking bird. The bird was heading toward the gaping maw of what could only be the Inu no Taishou's remains. He followed after it, his grasp on Kagome firm, his amber gaze moving from Hiei's form on the bird down into the awaiting darkness of the skeleton's innards. There would no doubt be a battle waiting for them.


	10. Tessaiga

The sounds of a rather volatile and profane argument reached their ears once they entered through the gaping maw of the Inu no Taishou's corpse. Kagome gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes, though she had already expected the brash Hanyou to have picked a fight with his brother despite her having saved his ass. Well, she wasn't going to save his ass anymore after this last time.

"It seems like InuYasha is quite unappreciative of your efforts, Kagome-san." Kurama's voice was soft, but still quite audible. It wasn't as if there were any rushing winds, but the sounds of the fight between the two brothers was increasing.

"Well this will be the last time he gets help from me," she muttered, her grip on her bow tight. "I know we haven't practiced shooting while in motion, but do you think if I fired an arrow at them they'd notice?" She would at least attempt to not hit them, but she couldn't make any promises that she wouldn't hit InuYasha. Not with how much of an inconsiderate jerk he was being.

"If that is your wish, Kagome-san."

They were slowly floating down to the bone-filled pit within the corpse, while Hiei had jumped off of his ride and was now leaping down ahead of them. The Apparition chose to land a safe distance away from the fighting and placed his hand on his hilt just in case he would need to draw his sword.

" _The heirloom Sesshoumaru is after is in that plinth over there,"_ Hiei commented, glancing at the plinth in the center of the pit with a rather rusty looking sword sticking out from it.

" _That kind of reminds me of that story about a sword in a stone,"_ Kagome commented when she was finally able to see it. They were close enough now, and Kurama directed them to land over by Hiei. He set her down and let go of her. She let her gaze go from the sword in the plinth to the fighting InuYasha and Sesshoumaru. InuYasha was rather bloody now, with several scratches on his face and the exposed skin of his hands and wrists while Sesshoumaru was still as pristine as he had been after plucking the pearl from the Hanyou's right eye.

"Your friends have come to watch you die, InuYasha, and after they tried so hard to save your pathetic ass. You spat in their faces by following me in here." Sesshoumaru was still as haughty too, but then again he had the upper hand while they weren't interfering in the fight.

InuYasha glanced in their direction as he leapt away from the poisonous youki whip Sesshoumaru sent his way. He landed near the plinth and the sword but seemed to pay it no mind. "I don't need your damn help," he snarled out, his ears folding back against his head.

"Then I won't help you anymore, InuYasha, and you won't be getting any of the Shikon no Kakera either," Kagome shouted at him, knowing full well that the Hanyou wouldn't abandon his quest for the fragments of the Jewel. "I won't be your shard sensor, and I'm done letting you verbally abuse me."

InuYasha's expression hardened a bit while Sesshoumaru actually laughed as he watched the unfolding abandonment of his brother. The Hanyou let his gaze go to the sword in the plinth and grabbed it by the hilt. Unfortunately for him, and like what had happened to Sesshoumaru when he had tried to pull it out earlier, it burned his hand, causing him to quickly let go of it.

"It seems as though you are unable to pull it out too, InuYasha. Maybe it was not meant for either of us." Sesshoumaru looked delighted at the Hanyou's failure to pull the sword out, even going so far as to admit that he too had failed. "I can live with neither of us getting Tessaiga."

Kurama stiffened at the name of the sword and shot a glance to Hiei who was staring at Kagome. _"That is a sword for slaying Youkai._ " It was good that neither brother could pull it.

" _I know, Fox."_ Hiei was rather unconcerned about that, worryingly so. " _Kagome, you need to go pull the sword out of the dais._ "

"What?" Kagome spoke aloud, turning to look at Hiei, shock and confusion on her face. _"I can't pull that out of the rock or whatever it is stuck in. And if I do, they both might try to kill me."_

" _The sword will protect you, Kagome. Trust me in this."_ Hiei motioned for her to go, a slight and uncharacteristic smile on her face.

"O-okay," she stammered out and turned to look at the two brothers. They were looking this way, curious as to what was going on, and it seemed like their fight was on hold. Sucking in a deep breath, Kagome marched over to the plinth where InuYasha still stood and glared at him. "Move aside," she demanded in a sharp tone.

Surprisingly enough InuYasha obeyed, staring at her in wide-eyed wonder at first before an angry glare stole over his face. "Don't ord-" His words were cut off as she grasped the hilt of the rusty Tessaiga, his eyes widening slightly. "Hey, what do you think you're doing, wench?"

"Just shut up, InuYasha, and _sit_ ," Kagome gave the Hanyou another glare, watching with a feeling of triumph as he had no choice but to get flattened to the ground by the subjugation beads. She then glanced over at Sesshoumaru who was watching her with the most curious expression on his face. She didn't dare try to affix an emotion to it, so she returned her attention to Tessaiga and pulled.

The sword came out easily, and she wondered at how much use it would be in battle in such a rusty and chipped state. "Honestly, such a big fuss over this," she muttered as she examined the useless weapon. There was a faint pulse from the sword, one that gave her pause and made her reevaluate her thoughts on it. Blinking as yet another pulse, followed by a hum and a whistle, her body moved of its own accord to block Sesshoumaru's poisonous youki whip with the Tessaiga. The entire sword began to glow, brightly, and a protective warmth settled over Kagome.

Kurama was quick to react, but he wasn't able to make it to Kagome in time to intercept Sesshoumaru's attack. Instead, he had to watch as her body moved fluidly and brought the battered sword up to block, the blade starting to glow. When the glow faded she held a massive, perfect sword that looked rather like a fang and had a tuft of fur on the guard of the hilt.

InuYasha, who had a front row seat to the entire thing, had been stunned when Kagome freed the sword, and even more so surprised when it transformed for her. Something in his gut told him that it wasn't supposed to do that, but then again Kagome didn't seem to follow any set of rules that he knew of or cared for. Staring up at her, and the huge ass sword she now held, he couldn't help but start to feel a smidgen of respect for her. He had treated her horribly, but she had kept trying to help him. And now, even though she hadn't realized it, she had saved him once again by blocking Sesshoumaru's attack.

"How dare you," Sesshoumaru growled out, his eyes gleaming as the whites turned a feral red.


	11. Transformation

To say that Sesshoumaru was pissed off would have been a vast understatement, and Kagome wasn't going to understate anything after today. Nor was she going to ever underestimate whatever special abilities she seemed to have. She knew perfectly well that she hadn't been in total control of her own body while she had been wielding the Tessaiga against the Inu Daiyoukai. It had felt like something, quite possibly the Tessaiga itself, had been guiding her movements. Of course she wasn't thinking on that right now. No, she was thinking about the irrationally angry demon that was transforming right in front of her. He was becoming bigger. A lot bigger.

Clutching the hilt of the Tessaiga with both hands, the sword amazingly feather light for her, she calmly took a few steps back. She noted that InuYasha, who hadn't moved, was to her right, while Kurama appeared at her left. The Kitsune had a worried expression on his face, and seemed to want to say something to her. Kagome gave a slight shake of her head then glanced over at InuYasha. Tessaiga pulsed faintly in her hands, as if relaying a message to her, and she loosened her grasp on the sword.

"InuYasha," she said in a soft voice, drawing the Hanyou's attention to her. He had a slight scowl on his face, but his expression became one of confusion when Kagome held out the Tessaiga to him. "Take the sword."

"I couldn't even pull the damn thing out," InuYasha groused even as he took the Tessaiga from Kagome. As soon as the sword was in his hands it reverted back to its rusted and chipped state. The Hanyou blinked and a look of incredulity swept over his face. The sword had just been working for Kagome, so why didn't she keep the damn thing? Giving the sword a couple of swings, InuYasha frowned. "The hell-"

Finished with his transformation, Sesshoumaru gave a low snarl and immediately swiped at Kagome with his right forepaw. It passed through the spot where she had stood, the Miko pulled out of his claws reach by the Silver Kitsune. InuYasha, who had been directly next to the Miko, leapt aside with an angry unintelligible yell. He paid the Hanyou no mind, since the sword apparently didn't work for him, and started to go after Kagome again. Before he could even put a forepaw down to take another step forward he was hit in the face with a large bolt of black flames. The pain of the fire barely registered, a snarling leaving him as he backed up and rubbed at his face even though the flames had quickly extinguished.

"Oi, short-stuff! That bastard is mine, so lay off," InuYasha yelled out, not bothering to glance in Hiei's direction as he raised the untransformed Tessaiga and moved in front of Sesshoumaru. He glowered at the sword, and then at Sesshoumaru beyond it, the Inu Daiyoukai still snarling. Poisonous saliva was dripping from his gaping maw, creating fumes that were beginning to foul the air. "Fox, get Kagome out of here so she doesn't get hurt!" He called over his shoulder, his gaze fixed on Sesshoumaru now. She had done so much for him, even after he'd been an ass to her, and if she got hurt because of him… No. He was going to protect her this time. It was the least he could do. "I'm not going to let you hurt Kagome, you overgrown mutt," InuYasha muttered out in a low enough tone so that only Sesshoumaru could hear him. "It's my turn to protect her." Tessaiga pulsed, and it reverberated through his body.

It was with a truly worried gaze that Kagome watched as InuYasha purposefully stood between her and Sesshoumaru. She let Kurama pull her into his arms and lift her up, her heart in her throat the entire time. As the Kitsune leapt upwards to take them to higher ground she found she couldn't look away from the Hanyou. I know he's been a jerk, but please let him come out of this okay, she thought fervently, hoping and praying that the Tessaiga would work for him. As Kurama took them higher and further away from the standoff a sudden, piercing glow came from the sword in InuYasha's hands and her heart swelled with hope.

Sesshoumaru snarled yet again as the Tessaiga transformed back into the large, gleaming white fang for his bastard brother. Jowls open and filled with poison, he lunged at the Hanyou. He would take care of the Miko and her companions once InuYasha was gone.

Said Hanyou vaguely noted that Tessaigai's pulsing was like a heartbeat, and it continued to rhythmically pulse even after it was transformed. Not even waiting to marvel at the fang in all of its glory, he moved, dodging Sesshoumaru's lunge. As he went past Sesshoumaru on the Daiyoukai's left side he swung the sword at his brother's foreleg. InuYasha knew the strike hit home as a pained howl left Sesshoumaru. The scent of blood immediately filled the air and the Hanyou pivoted as he landed, just in time to see his brother's severed foreleg hit the bone-riddled ground. The large beast that was his brother had circled around to face him, his enraged gaze piercing through him for a few brief seconds. Without warning the dog whirled away and bounded up out of the Inu no Taishou's corpse.

Kurama and Kagome's ascent was halted as Sesshoumaru blurred past them with an angry howl. Thankfully the Inu Daiyoukai ignored them, his retreat more than obvious. "It would seem that InuYasha was successful in getting the sword to transform for him. His brother has been heavily injured," the Kitsune explained in a soft voice while Kagome craned her neck to look down towards InuYasha.

Kagome observed the now bloody pit, a frown on her lips as she slid her gaze over what looked to be a leg lying there behind the Hanyou. The loss of a limb would no doubt enrage Sesshoumaru, but it brought a question to mind. "How good is a demon's healing abilities?"

Kurama blinked in surprise at the question, something that hadn't come up yet in their discussions and lessons. "Some can't heal a wound such as that without help from external forces. For instance, if either Hiei, InuYasha or myself were to lose an arm or a leg we wouldn't be able to grow it back. As for Sesshoumaru, I wouldn't know. While Kitsune are distant cousins of the Inu, we are obviously not the same. Different rules may apply, especially since he is a full blooded Inu and a Daiyoukai on top of that. He may be able to regrow it over a long period of time, but that would take a great deal of energy, some of which he has already expended."

Kagome nodded, showing that she understood everything that was explained so far, but there was another question she had. "Would I, as a Miko, be able to help a demon regrow a limb that was lost if the demon can't do it on their own?" Knowing that none of the demons traveling with her would not be able to regenerate a limb worried her, and she hoped that something that extreme would never happen.

Kurama remained silent as he pondered Kagome's second question, his gaze sweeping upwards to where Hiei was perched, having made it to the Inu no Taishou's collar bone. "It may be possible, but it requires a lot of power and concentration. It should also be kept in mind that youki and reiki generally do not mix well, and are opposing energies."

"It's like when we combined our energies to remove the spell of the Nothing Woman. I could tell that mine would have attacked you, if I had wanted it to…" So she could use it to heal at least, and she knew, deep down, that she would be able to heal her friends if she absolutely had to. "Can we add some sort of lesson on healing demons? The practice would be good."

"You handled that situation very well, Kagome-san, and I can see the practicality of you being able to heal us, but it isn't something we can make regular lessons on. Your daily training uses up a good portion of your energy as it is, and you need the rest of it to be able to defend yourself. Healing yourself, let alone someone else, with reiki can be more exhausting than you realize." Still, she made a very good point. If she started healing them and became familiar with the process it would help with her reiki control. "I'm not saying no to you healing us," he added quickly when Kagome opened her mouth to argue more on her point of the issue. "Just that it can't be done as a daily lesson. While I can't speak for Hiei or InuYasha, I would be glad to help you learn how to heal a demon, though I'm certain Hiei wouldn't mind helping either."

"Hey you two! Quit gabbing and get a move on already!" InuYasha interrupted gruffly from a ledge a little ways below them. The Tessaiga had reverted back to its rusted and chipped state once more, as far as they could tell, and the Hanyou had awkwardly stuffed the sword into his sash.

"Okay, InuYasha!" Kagome huffed, but she smiled and laid a hand on top of Kurama's arm encircling her waist. "Time to go," she murmured in a slightly amused tone, adding a muttered 'before grumpy down there blows his top.' It drew a chuckle from Kurama, who now tightened his grip on her and continued their ascent.


	12. Legacy

Once they were out of the tomb exhaustion finally set in on Kagome. The past half hour or so felt like it had been much longer, and she was quite certain that the sun was starting to rise. Since she had wobbled, more than a bit according to Kurama, she acquiesced to having him carry her back to Kaede's village. She briefly wondered why he didn't seem to be tired at all, then chocked it up to him being a Youkai, and from what she could tell he was as strong as Sesshoumaru, if not stronger.

"Go ahead and rest, Kagome-san," Kurama said in a soft tone. His voice was a pleasant and soothing rumble that she couldn't help but to obey.

Kagome's eyelids drooped heavily and she sighed as she rested her head on Kurama's shoulder. She dozed the entire way back to the village, slipping in and out of consciousness while being vaguely aware of birds chirping and singing their morning greetings. She's teetering on the verge of sleep when she's slightly jostled as Kurama sets her down on what feels like a soft cloud. Her eyes creep open and she recognizes the inside of Kaede's hut.

"My apologies, Kagome-san. I didn't mean to wake you," Kurama states softly as he drew away from her.

"I wasn't really asleep." Kagome sits up with a wide yawn and rubs at her eyes. She's still tired, swaying slightly where she sits as she fights to keep her eyes open.

"You need to get some sleep," InuYasha snaps from the opposite side of the hut. Despite his tone there's a distinct lack of anger in the Inu Hanyou's countenance and aura. It was a marked improvement compared to earlier.

Kagome looks from Kurama to InuYasha, a faint scowl tugging at her lips. She wants to argue, if only because she is being told what she needs to do, but on the offhand she is rather tired. With a rather forced sigh she laid down and pulled the thin blanket over her body. Within a matter of seconds she fell asleep, both her body and energy exhausted.

Kaede came in mere minutes later, her gaze scanning the occupants of her hut. She held her tongue when she spied Kagome fast asleep on the bedroll and turned her attention to Kurama. "She has exhausted her reiki," she noted in a low tone, her gaze slightly accusatory.

"Ah… We ran into Sesshoumaru-sama and a Mu-onna under his employ." Kurama ignored the slight huff from InuYasha on the other side of the hut, his gaze steadily meeting Kaede's.

The old Miko looked away after a long moment and bustled over to the hearth at the center of her hut. She hefted a crude pot of water over the hearth and hung it to boil before she returned her attention to Kurama. "This level of exhaustion is not from a mere encounter."

"You are incredibly astute, Kaede-sama. Kagome helped me remove a spell the Mu-onna had put on us. She also managed to free the Tessaiga and got it to transform." Which had been quite a curious thing to witness.

"Did she now?" The elder Miko mused, her gaze straying to Kagome.

"Yeah, and it really pissed Sesshoumaru off," InuYasha chimed in.

"From what I understand of the Tessaiga humans should not be able to make it transform, though she was able to free it because she is human," another voice spoke and a tiny black speck hopped up onto Kurama's forearm.

"Bite me, flea, and you will regret it," Kurama warned in a low tone, his honey toned eyes flashing.

"I had no such intention." Myouga fidgeted a bit nervously then hopped to the safety of the floor. "As for the Tessaiga, the Lady Kagome should not have been able to make it transform. She does not have youki."

"Would it have been possible that some of my youki remained with her from when we undid the Mu-onna's spell?" It was the only possible and plausible explanation, because any other scenario did not make any sense.

Kaede looked between him and Kagome for a moment, studying them more intently than before. "She most certainly has a small fraction of your youki mixed in with her reiki, and it is the same for you, Youko-san. This has never happened before to my knowledge, but I suspect that you would now be able to withstand most attacks from other Miko." There seemed to be something Kaede was leaving out, and InuYasha seemed to realize it as he got up and stomped out of the hut. The elderly Miko sighed and gave a slight shake of her head. "Kagome is a very special girl, Youko-san. Not even my sister, who loved InuYasha, would have done something like this. It was considered taboo, and while most other Miko still consider it a forbidden thing I see it as a step towards a better future."

"I must admit that I would not have agreed with that for the longest time. It wasn't until the human mother of the body I had possessed risked her own safety for mine did my mindset change. Even then, my eyes hadn't been fully opened until I met Kagome's cousin." Kurama smiled a little wistfully as he recalled the sacrifice he had been willing to make and Yuusuke's interference.

"It sounds like Lady Kagome's family is special indeed," Myouga commented with a thoughtful tone. "That aside, the sword cannot be transformed unless the wielder has affection for and the desire to protect humans."

"And you aren't mentioning this due to Kagome using the Tessaiga, I hope, but for InuYasha's sake?" Kurama pinned the flea youkai with a flat expression.

"Of course it's for InuYasha's sake." Yet Myouga's tone seemed rather nervous.

Kurama won't press the issue, however, so he looked to the entrance of the hut where he knew InuYasha was lingering. "I'll be back, Kaede-san." He got up himself and quietly left the elderly Miko to watch over Kagome. InuYasha was outside, ears flattened against his hair while he sat against the trunk of a nearby tree and glared down at the sheathed Tessaiga in his lap.

"You ain't gonna gripe at me, are ya?" The Inu Hanyou looked up at him, mouth drawn into a frown while his ears twitched slightly then flicked upright. "All the shit I've given Kagome, and then she goes and does all this when she doesn't even really know me."

"While it has been a thought as of late there isn't a need for me to gripe at you right now." Kurama managed a faint smile then sat down in front of the Hanyou. "If you are going to stick around, however, which I think you will then you need to understand that it is Kagome who is in charge."

InuYasha opened his mouth then quickly closed it with an audible click, his frown deepening. After a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, he looked down at the Tessaiga on his lap. "You're strange for a Youkai, yielding to a human, let alone a female. Guess I'm strange too."

Kurama blinked then his smile widened slightly. "I expected more of an argument from you, to be honest."

"There ain't no point in arguing with you, especially if you're as strong as that bastard I happen to be related to. Then there's Shorty, who is also just as strong, and no doubt is of the same opinion." InuYasha's ears flicked back for a second then he finally looked up at Kurama. "You and Shorty are from the same time as Kagome, right? How'd you get pulled into this mess?"

"We are indeed from the same time as Kagome, and our help was requested by someone who has a vested interest in Kagome succeeding. I cannot reveal who made the request, since it would only complicate things, and our concentration needs to be on piecing the Shikon no Tama back together." Kurama glanced up at the tree InuYasha was sitting against and spied Hiei in the upper branches. The Apparition had a rather unimpressed scowl on his face. "If you would like a sparring partner to hone your swordsmanship then I'm sure Hiei would be happy to assist you."

InuYasha glanced up as well and caught sight of Hiei, whose gaze narrowed before he leapt away. "Uh, I…"

"You aren't the first person to give him a nickname that insults his height, and don't worry about it either. The last person who insulted his height is still alive and well." Though that was likely due to the fact that Yukina, Hiei's twin sister, was in love with Kuwabara. Then again, Hiei hadn't ever really seemed sensitive about his height.

"I'll consider it," InuYasha said after a long moment, his tone less than confident.

"That is all I ask, InuYasha." Kurama smiled again and got up while InuYasha remained seated. "Though there is one more thing I would like for you to consider. Kagome is not an ordinary human, nor is she an ordinary Miko. She is…" His thoughts went to the future Kagome, the Miko-Kitsune who had asked them to join her past human self on this curious journey.

"She's something else," InuYasha finished for him, a faint and wry grin on his face. "I get it. No ordinary Miko could do what she does, even if we don't necessarily deserve her kindness." His voice softened and he tightened his grasp on Tessaiga. "Guess I need to go find Shorty."


End file.
